


𝘯𝘰𝘯-𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 ✓

by elodiefair



Series: The Isles [1]
Category: CountryHumans
Genre: F/M, hamiltoncrossover, trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 37,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28142643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elodiefair/pseuds/elodiefair
Summary: ⇢ "𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦."
Relationships: Tournesol & French Empire
Series: The Isles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2061666
Kudos: 1





	1. 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥

𐐒𐐚

** PRESENT DAY; 2020  **

The sky was an empty black pool of abyss above him as he drowsily unlocked the front door, the only source of light being the twinkling stars that swam lazily through it's calm waves. A chilly gust of wind ruffled up a flat pile of red and gold autumn's leaves, catapulting them into the air as they danced and twirled. The porchlight sprung to life as he breezed into the doorway, flicking the switch before bending down to pick up his discarded mail.

His fingers hastily collected the scattered white envelopes, his eyes begging for him to get some sleep as he sleepily stood up. Slamming the door shut, he moved smoothly out of the entry way into the dimly lit kitchen, not bothering to keep quiet. His fifty states were off doing their own thing this weekend, and his girlfriend was visiting her family tonight, so there was no one else sleeping within his four walls.

Leaning against the marbled bar, he carelessly tossed the paper-thin envelopes onto the surface. His orbs scanned the ornate shelves for his favorite concoction and a shot glass, his mouth yearning for the stinging taste. Normally, the nation wouldn't drink right before bed, as it was commonly known within the household that once he started he didn't stop. Yet today had been so stressful, and he desperately needed a drink to wash his worries away.

Grabbing a half-full bottle of bourbon, he popped the top off and downed a gulp. His throat burned as it washed down his throat. He slid the bottle aside in a feeble attempt to limit himself, the pit in his stomach telling him that he would return to it soon. He directed his attention to the parcels that sat behind him, almost begging for him to open them.

His eyes scanned the return addresses, scoffing a bit when he realized that it was just the government trying to convince him to give up full power. Again.

In the trash they went. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He could use another shot of bourbon right now.

Shaking the thought away, he left the kitchen to clear his mind. Walking past the front door to climb up the staircase, his gaze flickered past a peculiar wooden box that sat off to the side, nearly hidden from sight. The country stopped in his tracks, curiosity flooding his senses as he kneeled down to take it into his arms.

It had obviously been there for awhile, due to the thick layer of dust that was glued to its smooth surface. America ran his fingers over the top, cringing a bit at the grey particles that now clung to his striped skin. His eyes scanned over the box, his fingers brushing against the stained floral pattern that covered it's body.

The lock on the front was one that he was vaguely familiar with, remembering it to be similar with one of which adorned the front of his mother's ornately decorated jewelry box from his youth. A frown tipped at the corners of his mouth as he flicked it open, slowly peeling the lid off from the body.

Inside was a plethora of unusual items, most of which looked like they should have been in one of those colonial museums that dotted the New England coast of his land. His brow furrowed as he rifled through the belongings of the box. His mind was whirling with questions and ideas, his heartbeat increasing as he began to lay out the dusty items from inside.

His eyes were puffy with sleep as he quickly worked, his hands a furious frenzy as they laid out everything in front of him.

The room was silent as America sat on the freshly polished floor, his orbs latched onto the task at hand. Confusion breezed over him as he looked from one thing to another, one hand picking up a leather bound book that sat to his left whilst the other grabbed a dried red rose to his right. He twirled the dead plant in his fingers as his lips pursed, his blank white orbs scanning the leatherwork before him.

The seal in the bottom right corner he could easily recognize as the official seal that represented the Winter Isles, a former nation that had since then gone into retirement. Seeing this, America concluded that the items scattered across his floor were indeed centuries old, probably back when his mother and father were still alive and together.

He carefully set them aside as he pulled a stack of yellowing letters toward him, tied together with a faded red piece of twine. He undid the knot with precision, a soft smile glossing over his features. Picking up a short speckle-feather quill, he spun it around in his fingers like the rose just before, tucking it into his shirt pocket for safe keeping.

He quickly scanned the first letter in the stack, his eyes squinting a bit as he tried to identify the words written in long elegant strokes. Clearly, someone knew their way around a quill and ink well.

A small scrapbook came into his eager grasp next, filled with small drawings of people and plants, newspaper clippings from before and after the revolution, and a few intimate photos America had previously known nothing about.

His chapped lips were upturned in a warm smile as he turned the page, the bright smiling faces of his mother and father looking back at him. Beside them stood a few nations he recognized as Perseus Islands and Brye Archipelago, French Empire sitting off to the side with his hands behind his head. His mother appeared to be heavily pregnant with whom he assumed to be his elder brother, Fredonia.

What riddled him was the woman that had her arms slung around Jasmine's neck, her own pregnant bump making an appearance. His fingertips traced her humble features, from the white stripe that slashed across her eyes to the warm orange sun that sat between them. Her smile was a lot softer than his mother's, her eyes seeming to be more gentle as she stared into the camera.

He gingerly removed the photo from it's page, flipping it over to the back to read what was said _: 'November 30th, 1782; An Autumn picnic under our tree in the field, with F.E, Brye, Colonial, Jas, and Perseus; a day before the boys return to battle.'_

America smoothed out the wrinkled paper as he slid it back onto it's page, quickly flipping through the remaining squares before setting it aside. His mind buzzed with vague confusion as he gathered up the remaining items on the floor. _Who did these belong to?_ Perhaps it was the woman from the picture, seeing as how she didn't include herself in the list of names on the back.

He neatly tucked everything one by one into the dusty little chest, stopping when his hands grabbed the book. His orbs flickered across the cover once more, his heart seeming to tug him in the direction of it. _What if all the answers to the questions that plague his mind were in here? What if this held the truth?_

Before he knew it, he was seated in bed, his hair damp from the quick shower he had just taken. Tucked under the covers, the nation stared at the leather cover, biting the inside of his cheek as he debated on opening it. Was he ready for this? Was he ready to know?

His fingers brushed the thick layer of leather as his mind made a choice, peeling it away from the smooth ink stained pages. His orbs landed on the feathery writing that lay lazily in the middle of the first page. His gaze traced over the words as he tried to digest it, the name printed on the paper familiar to him, yet for whatever reason he could not bring himself to come up with an image.

_'This Book Formally Belongs to Tournesol I.'_

𐐒𐐚

━━━━━━━━━━━━

**Copyright © 2020 by[cl_ver_](https://www.wattpad.com/user/cl_ver_)   
**

**_All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof  
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever  
without the express written permission of the publisher  
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review._ **

━━━━━━━━━━━━ ** _  
_**

𐐒𐐚


	2. 𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚

𐐒𐐚

**_"Talk less; smile more."_ **

⇢ _The story of **Tournesol Isles** told through Lin Manuel Miranda's hit musical " **Hamilton** "_

** NEW YORK CITY; 1776  **

_**Tournesol Isles** ; daughter ( **Winter Isles** & **Yarelby Isles** ), sister ( **Sunfay** , **Perseus** , & **Sapphire** ), friend ( **Evelyn** , **Jasmine** , **Colonial America** , & **Brye Republic** ), & wife ( **French Empire** )._

❝ _Tournesol Isles has been given everything she could have ever wanted; a loving family, an amazing group of friends, and a charming husband to top it all off. She's living the dream that every little girl hopes that they will one day have; but dreams don't always last forever._ ❞

**_Copyright_ © 2020 by [cl_ver_](https://www.wattpad.com/user/cl_ver_) **

**All Rights Reserved**

𐐒𐐚 **  
**


	3. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY; 1776  **

I kept a tight grip on my older sister **Sunfay** 's arm as we stepped out of the carriage, our vibrantly coloured dresses standing out against the drab attire of the New Yorkers surrounding us. **Sapphire** followed right after, her cheeks tinted pink from exposure to the sweltering August heat that suffocated the colonies.

"It's boiling out here, Sunny! Are you sure you want to do this?" Saph complained, fanning herself with the flick of a gloved hand. Sunfay rolled her eyes as she tugged me into the crowd, our younger sister immediately jumping to catch up. 

The square was filled with sounds of merchants yelling out cheap prices, women bragging to each other about their children, and drunken songs that echoed from the pub a few yards away. My gaze flickered around my surroundings as I soaked everything in. Father never allowed us to venter into the city alone without him.

I smiled to myself as a gaggle of small children ran out in front of us, chasing after a stray ball that was rolling across the pavement. Sunfay let go of my hand to scoop it up into her arms, tossing it back with a heartfelt grin. One of the kids, a little boy with a missing tooth, saluted her with a bandage-wrapped hand before dashing after his friends.

The three of us continued down the walk, edging closer and closer toward a part of town father absolutely forbade us from going to, regardless of who was with us. 

Downtown was a place where my older brother **Perseus** gambled with his friends, often bringing home a loose girl or two at the end of the night. Sleazy people prowled the streets here, awaiting their next victim to pounce on. Sunfay didn't seem to care, so I decided to push down my worry. She was the oldest; she would know what to do.

Sapphire tugged Sunfay's arm back as we turned down the street. Her eyes sparkled with annoyance. "Daddy said to be home by sundown."

Sunfay offered her a crooked grin, bopping her little button nose with the tip of her skinny index finger. "Daddy doesn't need to know!"

We continued down the street, the melody of an off-tune piano filling my ears. I cringed slightly at the sound, my nose wrinkling in distaste. Far ahead of us, I spotted my brother joking around with his friends. A fluttering smile tipped at my lips.

Sapphire pouted out her bottom lip. "Daddy said not to go downtown!"

"Like we said, you're free to go!" I turned around to face the shorter nation, softly pushing her in the opposing direction. Her blank white eyes narrowed into a glare, her arms moving to stabilize herself. I giggled quietly.

Sunfay slung her arm around the two of us, a grin melting across her plump pink pout. "But-look around, look around! The Revolution's happening in New York!"

We spun through the crowd of people, the stench of alcohol strong in the air. The heat clung to our skin, sweat shining across our brows. I wiped a hand over my hairline, silently begging for a lick of wind.

Sapphire's face softened as we continued our trek down the street. "It's bad enough daddy wants to go to war..."

"People shouting in the square!"

"Bad enough there'll be violence on our shores..." Sapphire clutched my arm close to her side. I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, offering her a comforting smile. We glided past a group of drunken poker players, who whistled as we walked by. Sunfay rolled her eyes with a huff as she looked up at the sky.

"New ideas in the air! Look around, look around-"

I placed my hands on my hips, a coy smirk playing at my lips. "Sunny, sister, remind me what we're looking for..."

Sunfay took my hands in hers, twirling the two of us around. Sapphire grabbed the hem of my skirt, tugging the three of us to the ground in a fit of giggles. I pushed a stray silver curls from my face.

"Tournes, I'm looking for a mind at work!"

She pulled me and Saph to our feet, pulling us on our merry way around the square. A beautiful stone fountain stood at the centre, misting clouds of water across the pavement. Stone statues of swans and other majestic creatures erupted from it's core, their silvery wings stretching across the sky. The three of us stepped onto the short skinny wall that held all the mirroring water inside, balancing just on the edge.

"Plentiful fabrics! Get your top-o'-the-line British fabrics!"

"Dried meat for cheap, cheap, cheap!"

"Alcohol served by the pint!"

We listened to the sellers yell out their prices, each one louder than the one before. While our attention was set on not falling into the pool of water beneath us, we hadn't noticed our brother's rag-tag group come to our side.

Perseus yanked me down to the cobblestone ground, his lanky arms twirling me around to face him. I let out a yelp, my hands scrambling around to defend myself. The older nation laughed heartily, slinging an arm around my shoulder while I glowered up at him. He offered me a mischievous smirk.

"Ah, there's nothing like summer in the city!" 

I rolled my eyes as I pulled away from him, bumping into another annoyingly coy country, **Brye Republic**. He rushed me into his arms, offering me a cheeky smile before directing his attention to Sapphire. Her face flushed pink when he winked at her.

"Someone in a rush next to someone looking pretty," he delicately pushed me to the side, offering his hand to my younger sister, "Excuse me miss, I know it's not funny; but your perfume smells like your daddy's got money. Why you slummin' in the side in your fancy heels? You searchin' for an urchin who can give you ideals?"

She playfully rolled her eyes. "Brye, you disgust me."

"Ah, so you've discussed me!" He leaned in close to her blushing face, their noses almost touching. "I'm a trust fund, baby, you can trust me."

Sunfay elbowed her way between them, pushing Sapphire behind her. Her eyes held malice within them, her lips pulled taunt into a frown. Brye was the kind of guy that would play with a girl's heart, and Sunfay didn't want any of that with Saph. I crossed my arms over my chest, meeting Perseus' fed-up gaze; our older sister was extremely overprotective. 

"I've been reading 'Common Sense' by Thomas Paine. So men say that I'm intense or I'm insane. You want a revolution, I want a revelation! So listen to my declaration:"

I smiled as the three of us joined in to recite the words Sunfay preached daily. " _We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal!_ "

She pointing a finger into his chest. "And when we win this war, I'm gonna include women in the sequel!"

I smiled, grabbing Sapphire's hands as Sunfay continued to tell Brye off. We skipped around the square, stopping by a jeweler's shop filled with dazzling necklaces and rings. I looked into her eyes. "Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!"

Perseus came up next to us, the sound of Sunfay shouting at Brye still evident in the distance. He cringed slightly when a smack echoed through the square. Sapphire giggled. "History is happening and we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world!"

Saph smiled. "In the greatest city in the world!"

Sunfay looked glum with her arms crossed over her chest, muttering to herself under her breath as she glared at the back of Brye's head.

"I may not live to see our glory!" Perseus grinned, his blonde curls falling in front of his eyes. I smiled to myself, a light laugh falling from my lips as he took my hands in his. We did a little jig, our footsteps muffled against the worn dirt road. His face was glistening with sweat, dirt smudged against his cheeks. My brother turned to his friend **French Empire** , who had his nose buried in a book.

"C'mon Empire, join in on the fun!"

French Empire looked up, his freckles becoming prominent in the fading evening light. Pink flushed against my cheeks as he smiled kindly at me, marking the page he was on before tucking it neatly into his bag. Perseus whooped, shoving me forcefully into the taller nation before running ahead to pester **Colonial America**. French Empire took my hand in his.

We slowly twirled around as the hues of orange and red blanketed the earth, our gazes locked on one another. His eyes sparkled with joy as he lifted me into the air, the dimples on his cheeks becoming prominent with the smile that came with it.

"Raise a glass to freedom! Something they can never take away, no matter what they tell you!"

I landed softly on my feet, the spell that tied the two of us together broken by the sound of my brother's annoying voice. He and Colonial were locked arm in arm, their loud voices carrying out across the rolling hills of New York. 

"Raise a glass to the four of us!" Brye added onto their proclamation, his gaze flickering to French Empire for a moment, "Tomorrow there'll be more of us!"

"Telling the story of tonight!"

French Empire slid an arm around my waist, rolling his eyes with a hidden grin. "They'll tell the story of tonight..."

We continued on our merry way, the trip home going by quicker with the company of Perseus and his friends. Sunfay looked annoyed the entire way, refusing to engage in conversation; she was still mad that Saph continued her lovesick flirting with Brye. 

The sky was a calming shade of indigo by the time we arrived on the porch of our manor, the windows open wide in an attempt to cool down the home. Brye tipped his hat in a silent goodbye, pressing a chaste kiss onto the back of Sapphire's hand. Sunfay glared at his retreating figure, earning a silent chuckle from Perseus.

French Empire and Colonial bid us goodbye soon after, dashing off to walk with Brye back a block or so to their own humble abodes. After composing herself, Sunfay turned to face me.

"Let's get you two inside and washed up for bed. We've got errands to run in the morning." She clapped her hands together with a pleasant smile, allowing the chance for Perseus to open the door for us. Sapphire pouted her bottom lip in protest to her words.

"Aw, c'mon Sunny! I wanted to go and hang around the creek tomorrow with Tournes and Pers!"

We walked through the doorway into the stuffy atmosphere of our home, the temperature just as warm as it was earlier that day. Perseus wiped at his brow. "The boys and I have plans early in the morn', Sapphire. Maybe when you get back from town?"

Sunfay knitted her brow, her hands immediately at her hips. "What kind of plans? Nothing dangerous like last time, right Perseus Isles?"

Our brother shrugged out of his overcoat, wiping at a stray stain before hanging it on the stair banister. His gaze was glued to the ground. "We're attending a very private meetin', nothing that concerns you."

She huffed, throwing her hands into the air. "Father's gonna murder you in cold blood, Pers! You know he doesn't want you at any underground meetings that could get you in trouble."

"This is for the sake of the colonies, Sunny!" He snapped back, his hands balled into fists. Sunfay flinched at his raised voice, taking a tiny step back. Perseus continued. 

"Don't you think I know how dangerous this is?! I could be killed for this, Sunfay! But everyone deserves freedom. You would know that better than anyone else!"

She fell silent. **Winter Isles** , our father, stood in the doorway of his office. A perplexing look was donned upon his features, his arms crossed over his chest. His voice was gruff as he spoke.

"What is all this about, Percy? Why is your sister upset?"

Perseus sucked in a breath, fumbling over his words. He told father about the meeting he was attending, and how Sunfay refused to allow him to go. Father's face remind stoic the entire time, though his eyes softened a bit when it came to the part about the work Perseus was doing for the colonies.

"Well, I do not see a reason why you shouldn't go, son. Just remember to stay safe..." He paused, looking toward Sunfay. "And sugarpetal, you're going to have to give him slack. I understand how worried you get over them, but they need to live their lives."

Sunfay nodded, fiddling with her fingers. Father smiled softly at her, his gaze flickering to meet mine and Sapphire's. "Why don't the two of you head on up to bed. You're going to need to wake up early to help your sister with errands."

A cheeky smile twitched at his lips as Saph groaned, sluggishly climbing up the staircase to our shared bedroom. I floated across the floor to plant a kiss on his cheek, muttering goodnight before following up after her. Perseus and Sunfay bid us goodnight as father ushered them into his office, closing the door behind them with a click.

When I reached our room, Sapphire was already dressed in her periwinkle nightgown and prepared for bed. I slipped out of my heeled shoes, unclasping the belt that was wrapped tight around my waist. Saph looked up from the vanity she was seated at, pausing her braiding in the mirror.

"Did they go into father's office again?"

I stepped behind the intricately carved room divider, shedding off the layers of petticoats that were covering my body. "Yes, like every other night."

Saph scoffed lightly as I was unlacing my corset. "Seems like they've been doing that a lot lately. What do you think they're talking about behind closed doors?"

I shrugged my shoulders, stepping back into her field of vision in a petal pink slip. She tied her long silvery hair into a fishtail braid, something she's done ever since we were kids. I moved over to choose an outfit for tomorrow. "Don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the revolution that's been rumored lately."

Sapphire stood from her stool, gliding over to her bed. She began to fluff up her pillows. "The idea's become quite popular as of lately. Do you think it's true? Father already said that he'd fight for the colonies against Britain."

I turned back to look at her. "Anything can happen in the new world I guess. It's a big possibility, with all these redcoats patrolling the harbours."

She slipped under the covers, gazing up at the smoothen ceiling of our home. I closed the curtains with a yawn, blowing out the candle that sat on our vanity before walking across the room to lay in my own bed. Everything was quiet for a moment before she spoke up again.

"I don't think we're going to return home, Tournesol."

I turned on my side, glancing over at the outline of her body a few metres away. My heart ached at the thought. A sliver of moonlight pooled across the floor from a crack in the silken curtains, the breeze from the open window blowing gently. A sigh escaped my lips.

  
"I think you're right, Saph; this is our home now."

𐐒𐐚


	4. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY; 1780  **

I nervously adjusted the pearl necklace that hung around my neck as Sunfay fluttered around me. A silken white ribbon was tied neatly in my hair, pulling my silvery curls behind my ears to cascade down my back. A soft tulle skirt framed my waist in a shade of baby pink, blooming flowers sewn onto the bust. 

I was seated in the sitting room, fidgeting with my hands. This evening we were hosting a winter's ball for the troops that were serving in the Revolution. Father requested that his daughters look their best for this event, so here I was; adorned in a darling pink dress looking like a shining coin.

Sapphire stumbled into the room, her periwinkle skirt barely making it through the doorway. Her hair was in ringlets, framing her face with perfection. Diamond studded earrings hung from her ears in teardrops. I smiled at her, standing carefully from my seat on the sofa.

"Your majesty." I jokingly curtseyed, earning a light smack from the younger nation. Sunfay rolled her eyes from beside us, pulling me back up to my original height.

"Be careful, Tournes. I'm not going to do your hair again."

I huffed, patting the stream of curls with a dismissing hand. "They're not going anywhere, Sunny. Don't worry your pretty head about it."

She closed her eyes, smoothing down the front of her violet dress to compose herself. A whistle caught our attention from the doorway. I turned to spot Perseus, French Empire, and Brye standing in their military uniforms. Perseus grinned down at us. He had grown almost a head taller since I last saw him.

"A winter's ball, and the Isles sisters are the envy of all."

Brye smirked wolfishly, winking at Saph. She silently giggled, her cheeks flushing pink. "Yo, if you could marry a sister, you're rich, son!"

Sunfay glared at him while French Empire joined in. He had grown to be more bold with his words and actions over the past few years. 

"Is it a question of if, Brye, or which one?" 

Perseus playfully rolled his eyes, pushing the two of them into the hall. "Alright, alright, stop flirting with my sisters. Let's get this show on the road, I wanna get laid tonight before we return to battle."

Sunfay nodded, quickly taking Sapphire's hand in hers before Brye had the chance. She stuck her tongue out at him childishly, yanking the shorter girl through the door to hop in the carriage. Perseus looked toward Brye, who in turn shrugged his broad shoulders before following after them.

French Empire met my gaze as Perseus left to help them into the carriage, a smile dotting his lips. He shoved his hands into his coat pockets, his eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Hey."

I felt my face flush pink. I laced my hands together in front of me. "Hey."

We were silent for a moment, neither one of us meeting the other's gaze. The silence was interrupted yet again by my brother's annoying voice. 

"Are you guys coming? Or are you gonna stand there avoiding the other's gaze?"

French Empire's eyes snapped up to meet mine, attempting to stifle his laughter. He offered me his arm, leading the two of us out into the crisp winter air. I shivered a bit, not used to this kind of cold after spending the majority of the year in a heat spell. He stopped walking, shedding off his military coat and hanging it around my shoulders. I looked up at him.

"I can't take this, you'll get cold."

He calmly shook his head, leading me to the awaiting carriage in front of the manor. "I'll be fine, honeybee. I'm not the one wearing a gown, now am I?"

I playfully rolled my eyes, allowing for him to help me inside. The rest were already seated and ready to go, with Sunfay death glaring Brye from her seat beside our brother while Sapphire was cuddled close to the older country. I smiled to myself, taking a seat next to Perseus. French Empire plopped down in the one opposite of mine.

Perseus glanced over at me, a teasing grin spreading like butter across his lips. "I didn't know that you served in the Revolution, Tournes!"

I elbowed him in the side, a yelp escaping his lips. I looked up to meet French Empire's gaze, a lovesick smile stitching across my features. He gave me one in return.

I stood beside my older sister as she talked animatedly with **Jasmine** , another nation we were familiar with, my eyes scanning the ballroom. Sapphire was dancing a slow dance with Brye, hidden deep in the crowd away from Sunfay's venomous gaze. I smiled to myself when I caught sight of her loving gaze, her eyes locked on his as they waltzed away. Despite what Brye has done in the past, I think they'd be wonderful together. As long as he can stay true to her.

A nation tapped my arm from beside me. I turned to face them, my eyes brightening when I recognized who it was. 

" **Evelyn**! I didn't think you'd come!"

Evelyn Empire; the older sister to Jasmine and Flora, one of the only nations here that has known me since birth. I pulled her into a hug, earning a soft chuckle from the taller girl. "I didn't think you'd notice, Tournes. How've you been lately?"

I pulled away, my eyes meeting hers. She looked absolutely wonderful in her pearl coloured dress, her lavender hair pulled into a decorated bun on top of her head. A silver chain bracelet hung from her wrist, a peridot charm hanging from it.

"Things have been a bit tough lately without father and Perseus around, but we've been able to manage. What about you? Any new suitors banging at your door?"

Evelyn groaned, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Father tries his best to keep them away; they want his surgeon's fortune, I tell you. I'm thinking about becoming a nun if things keep up the way they are."

I giggled lightly, my eyes widening a bit when my gaze locked with a certain nation's nearby. My hands reached out to grab the country's in front of me, a blush dusting my cheeks. Evelyn looked confused for a moment, her attention turning to look the way I was. Her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink.

"Who's that?"

I smiled lovingly. "French Empire, one of Perseus' friends."

French Empire waved shyly my way, quickly diverting his gaze back to my brother's wild talk. I returned his wave, not noticing the look Evelyn gave me. Her lashes fluttered against her cheeks.

"How do you feel about him, little Tournes?" A playful smirk toyed at her lips. I smiled to myself, not registering the words that left my mouth.

"Look into his eyes and the sky's the limit, I'm helpless..."

I turned to meet her gaze, bouncing on the balls of my feet. "Down for the count and I'm drowin' in 'em."

Evelyn offered me a teasing smirk, slinging her arm around my shoulder. I looked up to see my sister traveling around the room, dazzling each person she talked to. Jasmine trailed behind her, her eyes glued to the laughing figure of Colonial America. The two of us laughed, my heart fluttering when French Empire playfully pushed her away from him with a smile.

I pulled Evelyn along with me around the ballroom, trying to catch his eye without being too conspicuous with it. The nation beside me looked bored as we hid being a beautifully decorated pillar, opting to stare at a painting of the countryside instead of helping me. Everybody was dancing happily on the floor, the band top volume.

Sunfay came up next to us after a bit, Jasmine in tow. Her cheeks were flushed from dancing, though part of it may have been the couple glasses of wine she tipped down her throat a few moments before. She grabbed my forearm, swinging the two of us around.

"Grind to the rhythm as we wine and dine!"

Her lips were tugged into a tipsy smile. She looked up across the crowd to see the group we had come with, giggling to herself. "I'm gonna go and flirt with French Empire again. He hates it!"

I grabbed her hands, nervously meeting her gaze. She looked confused as I pulled her close, my lips near her ear. "This one's mine."

As if realization dawned on her, Sunfay sobered up quickly. Her eyes flickered between happiness and hostile, in the end settling on the former of the two options. She pulled her hands from my grasp, gently patting my arm before disappearing into the crowd. I met Jasmine's eyes, nervousness pooling in my stomach.

"What's she gonna do?" I bit the inside of my cheek. Jasmine offered me a comforting hand, shrugging her shoulders.

"You're sister's an odd one. She comes up with the craziest ideas."

I looked up to see Sunfay grab French Empire's arm, whispering something in his ear. I groaned to myself. "I'm so through! What is she saying to him?"

My heart fluttered when he looked up at me, a soft smile dotting his lips. They made their way through the crowd toward us, panic beginning to settle in my chest. I smoothed down the front of my skirt, a smile crossing my lips when Sunfay and French Empire appeared in front of me.

I met his gaze, a playful smile at his lips. All panic that had made it's home inside me disappeared in an instance. This was French Empire, a nation I had known for years. The same nation that bought me flowers from the floral booth in town, who made me little animals out of paper. The country who called me honeybee when nobody else was around. Why was I scared?

I smiled. "Tournesol Isles. It's a pleasure meeting you."

Sunfay snorted. French Empire decided to play along, looking to my sister. "Isles?"

"My sister." She rolled her eyes.

I did a curtesy. "Thank you for all your service."

I stood up straight, allowing for French Empire to bow and plant a kiss to my hand. "If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it."

Evelyn grabbed my sister and Jasmine's hands, a teasing smirk still playing at her lips. "We'll leave you to it!"

They fled from the area, leaving me and French Empire to ourselves. He offered me his arm. "Wanna dance?"

I slipped my hand through his, not bothering to take his arm. "I would love that."

One month later, I'm writing a letter nightly. Empire wasted no time in courting me, already planning for the future we will have together. My heart fluttered with love every time I saw one of his letters arrive, the cursive writing bringing joy back to my soul.

' _Now my luck gets better, every letter that you write me._ '

I set my speckled quill to the side, looking up just as Sunfay entered the room. Sapphire didn't pay her any mind from her spot on my bed where she read through the letters Empire had sent me over the past few days. 

The older nation plopped down lazily beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. Bags clung to the skin that hung under her eyes, her mouth seeming to always be cemented in a frown. These past couple months had been especially hard for her, having to fill the spot of caretaker while our father was gone. I patted her hand with comfort, sliding the layers of quilts over her legs.

"You should get some rest, sis. You're going to die from exhaustion if you don't."

Sunfay huffed, yawning quietly. She took the latest letter I had written to Empire into her hands, her orbs scanning the pages. A tired smirk tipped at the corners of her lips.

"We should form a harem."

Her eyes flashed with humor as she spoke, earning a scoff from me. Sapphire looked up, joining in on the teasing. "I'm just saying, if you really love us, you would share him."

"Hah." I deadpanned, snatching the letters from their hands. Both of my sisters erupted into a fit of giggles, a nostalgic atmosphere clouding over the room. Their laughter reminded me of the times way back in our childhood, when we were still a family back in the Isles. Things have changed since then, and we've grown up. It's good to daydream about those perfect days, to distract us from the war at hand.

Sapphire sat up from her place, smoothing out the sheets she had wrinkled while laying down. "We should probably head to bed; it's getting pretty late."

Sunfay stifled a yawn, her eyes drooping. "Sounds like a splendid idea, Saph."

I tucked the strewn out papers into a safekeeping box, sliding the wooden capsule back underneath the bed. Sunfay pressed a tired kiss to my temple, standing up from her place to leave the room. I grabbed her forearm to stop her.

"Why don't you spend the night with us, Sunny? We haven't had a sleepover in ages."

The older nation rubbed her eyes tiredly. Without saying a word, she shuffled over to my bed and collapsed under the covers, soft snores escaping her parted lips. I met the gaze of Sapphire, both of us quiet for a moment before bursting into quiet laughter.

Two months later, I'm seated in the living room, nearly pulling my hair out from stress. Sapphire sat beside me, her hands squeezing mine in reassurance as we waited for Empire to reappear in the doorway.

My father had requested that he and Empire talk over dinner about our courtship. I panicked immediately at the thought. Father was a man of kindness, but was even more protective of us than Sunfay was. Speaking of my older sister:

"Calm down, Tournes. I'm sure everything is going to turn out fine."

Sapphire gave her a side glance, pursing her lips. "You never tell me that when it comes to Brye."

"Because Brye is going to break your heart, Saph. I don't approve of it." Sunfay shot back, not bothering to turn around from her spot by the window. She continued to flick through the pages of the book in her arms, a bored sigh escaping her throat every now and then. Finally, she tossed it to the side.

"How long is this going to take? I'm starving!"

Sapphire rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Sunny. I'm sure everything is going to turn out fine!"

Sunfay ignored her mocking, sitting up in her spot. I glanced over at her, my eyes narrowing when I saw her calculating gaze ogling the window. She stood from her seat, pushing the doors open before climbing out. I immediately rose to my feet, catching the attention of Sapphire.

"Are you crazy?! You're gonna get caught!" I exclaimed, rushing over to peer over the windowsill. Sunfay stood beneath it, looking up at the apple tree that grew a few yards away. She turned around to meet my eyes.

"I'll be right back, so sit there all nice and pretty with Saph while I get us a little snack. Father should be done talking to your little boyfriend soon enough anyways."

Knowing that nothing I said would get her back inside, I obliged. Sapphire sat lazily on the sofa, not bothering to look up as I returned to my seat next to her. She was too focused on picking the petals off a blooming pink rose, muttering a childish rhyme to herself as she did so.

Footsteps outside the door caught my attention. My heart lurched when I heard the voices of my father and Empire. They were speaking too low for me to understand. I felt like I was dying inside. A lump formed in my throat as I looked down at my lap. I willed myself to not cry; tears wouldn't fix anything. 

The door to the study flew open, the faces of Empire and my father appearing in the doorway. Father's gaze swept the room, going from me to Sapphire. He arched a brow. "Where's your sister?"

Sapphire, without looking up, pointed to the open window. A flush rose to my cheeks. "She's picking apples. You guys took forever, and she was about to devour the book in her hands for supper."

French Empire wiped at his brow. "I do apologize for that, your brother decided to join last minute and refused to shut up about what he and Colonial have been up to."

I look up to meet his gaze. His eyes were soft as he looked down at me, a smile tugging at his lips. Our trance was then interrupted by my father clearing his throat. My heart dropped. We're definitely through.

He shook Empire's hand, a bright smile at his lips. "Be true."

I beamed, flying out of my seat and into Empire's arms. Sapphire laughed joyously as he spun me around, peppering kisses all over my face. Father stood in the doorway, a nostalgic look in his eyes. Empire set me down on my feet.

"Tournesol, I don't have a dollar to my name, an acre of land, a troop to command, a dollop of fame. All I have's my honor, a tolerance for pain, a couple of college credits and my top-notch brain," He swept me into his arms, "Insane, your family brings out a different side of me. Saph confides in me, Sunny tried a couple time to fight me. No stress, my love for you is never in doubt; we'll get a little place in Harlem and we'll figure it out."

He kneeled to the ground, pulling a band of silver and pearl from his coat pocket. I covered my mouth in excitement. "And as long as I'm alive Tournes, I swear to God you'll never feel so-"

I jumped into his arms. "I do! I do! I do! I do!"

Empire laughed happily, planting a kiss on my cheek before sliding the ring onto my finger. Sapphire clapped her hands together from her spot on the sofa, hopping up to pull us into a hug. "Welcome to the family! Ah, I'm so excited for you, Tournes!"

Sunfay's head popped up from outside the window, a bright red apple in her hand. She smiled at me, taking a bite out of the flesh. After chewing for a moment, she spoke. 

"No nieces or nephews anytime soon."

My face was as red as the apple she was eating.

"SUNFAY!"

𐐒𐐚


	5. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY; 1780  **

The ballroom looked lovely as I fled to the garden with my husband, French Empire. Our wedding was everything I could have ever dreamed of and more. Sunfay and Sapphire made sure that nothing went wrong this evening; I made mental note to thank them after the honeymoon.

At the moment, everyone was too busy dancing and celebrating to notice that we had left our seats at the head of the table. We hoped that it would stay that way.

I smiled lovingly as we sat down on a stone carved bench beneath the weeping willow, the stars twinkling in the night sky above us. Resting my head against Empire's shoulder, I closed my eyes. This was my life now. This was my forever. I was excited.

"I may not live to see our glory!"

I groaned loudly, flinging my head back as the silhouettes of Brye Republic and Colonial America popped into view. Empire chuckled from beside me, rising to his feet. He offered me his hand, but I waved it off as I stood on my own.

"Raise a glass to freedom, something you will never see again!" Colonial laughed, thrusting a sloshing cup of alcohol into the air. I crossed my arms with a huff, glowering at the nation in front of me.

Brye joined in, slinging an arm over Empire's shoulders. "No matter what she tells you!"

"Let's have another round tonight!"

I looked behind me with a smile, running into the arms of my older brother. Perseus grinned, wrapping his arms around my waist as he buried his head in my shoulder. It had been months since I last saw him, and I didn't think he'd make it to the wedding. Father stationed him in a higher-up position, and he rarely had any free time to visit.

I pulled away from his embrace, immediately swept into the arms of Empire. Perseus smirked at the two of us, adjusting the front of his coat. Colonial stumbled toward us. "Well, if it isn't Perseus."

"Sir." Perseus tipped his hat his way.

Empire smiled kindly. "I didn't think that you would make it."

"I came to say congratulations."

"Perseus!" Brye appeared next to him, resting his arm on his shoulder. My brother looked around us.

"I see the whole gang is here." He chuckled, shoving his hands into his pockets. I nestled closer to Empire's side, looking back up at my brother.

"Ignore them. Congrats to you, Lieutenant Colonel. I wish I had your command instead of staying home."

Perseus let out a short laugh. "No you don't"

I frowned. "Yes, I do."

He removed his hat, running a ran through his curly locks. A fresh pink scar ran across his forehead. "Now be sensible. From what I hear, you've made yourself indispensable."

Colonial jumped forward with a smirk. "Well, well, I heard you've got a special someone on the side Pers."

Empire cocked his brow with a teasing grin. "Is that so?"

"What're you trying to hide, Pers?" I prodded, walking forward to nudge his arm.

His face flushed a shade of pink, his gaze now glued to his dust-covered boots. Perseus was never one to settle down, so this was all new to us. From what I could tell, things were getting serious with this girl he was seeing.

"I should go..." He rambled, reaching into his coat pocket to produce a small wrapped box. He thrusted it into my hold. Empire stopped him.

"No, these guys should go." He chuckled.

"What?"

"No!"

"Leave us alone!" I barked back, sending the two tipsy nations back into the ballroom. Things were silent for a bit as we stood in the garden, the only sound shared between us being the breeze whistling through the branches of the trees. Finally, Empire spoke.

"It's alright, Pers. I wish you'd brought this girl with you tonight."

Perseus chuckled wryly, aimlessly kicking a stray rock across the path. "You're very kind, but I'm afraid it's unlawful."

I shot him a questioning look, my grip on his wedding gift tightening. Another thing about my brother; he never admits when something is dangerous. "What do you mean?"

"She's married." He looked up. Empire shrugged.

"Okay?"

Perseus shook his head with a hurt grin. "She's married to a British officer."

My eyes widened. "Oh shit..."

Perseus paused for a moment, looking up at the stars that shone above us. He had a faraway look in his eyes, like he was reliving a memory only he knew. Then he spoke, his voice soft and quiet.

"Congrats again, little sister. Smile more." He met Empire's gaze, "I'll see you on the other side of the war."

Empire shook his head, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I will never understand you. If you love this woman, go get her! What are you waiting for?"

Perseus calmly smiled, waving us goodbye once more. "I'll see you on the other side of the war..."

I met Empire's gaze with a sigh, looking to my brother once more with a fleeting smile. "See you on the other side of the war..."

𐐒𐐚


	6. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY; 1781  **

The earth was starting to warm back up again, the winter's snow beginning to melt from the ground. A cool spring breeze whistled through the trees, rustling my weeping willow's hanging branches against the fence as it flew. Tulips began to sprout from the muddy flowerbeds, their shades of red and pink bringing back a pop of colour to my life. That wasn't the only thing that lightened my days.

I rested a comforting hand against my small protruding bump, smiling to myself as I gazed out the window. A flutter of movement immediately responded, causing me to giggle and focus my attention back to the task at hand.

A month or so ago, I had sent a letter to my father, begging for him to send Empire home. I knew that Empire would fight until the war was done, but he deserved the chance to meet his son. It was a miracle that he was still alive right now.

The front gate swung shut in the evening light just as I stood from my seat, bringing an excited smile to my lips. I sped to the hall, smoothing a hand over the front of my dress to compose myself. My heart fluttered at the thought of being in Empire's arms again, close to his heart like I had been all those months ago.

The door opened with a soft creak, Empire's tall figure standing in the doorway. My breath was caught in my throat when our eyes met. He looked the same as before, a ghost of a smile painted over his chapped lips. His blank white eyes sparkled with love, soaking in the image of me and him.

Empire stepped forward, dropping his luggage to the floor with a thump. Tears began to pool in my orbs when he lightly touched a dark pink scar that ran across his cheek, a warm smile washing over my lips. I cradled my arms around the small bump that had begun to protrude from my abdomen, my smile widening when Empire shot me a confused look.

"Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now..."

Realization seemed to dawn on him. A tear slid down his cheek as he looked down at my bump. "How long have you known?"

"A month or so..."

"Tournes, you should have told me!"

"I'm not sorry!" A smirk dawned my lips, my feet carrying me across the floor into Empire's awaiting arms. I continued, my voice soft and tender, "I new you'd fight until the war was done, but you deserve a chance to meet your son...look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now..."

Empire's gaze bore into my own, raw fear and love swirling in those white orbs of his. I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Will you relish being a poor man's wife, unable to provide for your life?"

I smoothed down the front of his wrinkled uniform. "I relish being your wife..." We met eyes again, this time a small lovesick grin spread across his lips. I took a shallow breath.

"Look at where we are, look at where we started. The fact that we're alive is a miracle-just stay alive, that would be enough," I placed a comforting hand on my barely visible bump, "And if this child shares a fraction of your smile or a fragment of your mind, look out world! That would be enough."

A soft chuckle escaped his lips, his arms tugging me closer to his body. Our foreheads brushed against each other at the centre, my eyelashes intermingling with his. My eyes fluttered closed.

"I don't pretend to know the challenges your facing, the words you keep erasing and creating in your mind. But I'm not afraid, I know who I married. So as long as you come home at the end of the day, that would be enough."

My hands clutched his as I pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth, biting the inside of my cheek. My stomach was a queasy mess when I was trapped in his embrace, my heart a fluttering mess in my chest. I had to resist the urge of keeping him all to myself; Empire had a war to fight...after our son was born.

I rested my head on his shoulder. "We don't need a legacy...we don't need money. If I could grant you peace of mind, if you could let me inside your heart. Oh, let me be a part of the narrative they will write someday! Let this moment be the first chapter, where you decide to stay..."

"And I could be enough." My eyes were filled with tears when I pulled my head back, a fleeting smile at my lips. Empire wiped them away with the side of his thumb, pasting a kiss against my temple.

"And we could be enough." 

"That would be enough..." Empire pulled me into his strong embrace, holding me closer than he ever had. My salty tears were sopped up by the royal blue fabric of his overcoat, blotchy stains soaking into the material. A airy laugh left my lips when we pulled apart, my hands making quick work to wipe at the mark left behind.

"Oh dear, I best get rid of that. We can have you looking unprofessional when you return to camp."

Empire gently swatted my hand away, leading me into the sitting room. He forced me to sit on the sofa, shedding his coat before flinging it out of the room.

"We can't have you running around doing things all the time, Honeybee. You're carrying our baby now; I want the both of you to be safe and healthy."

A fuzzy feeling erupted in my chest as he plopped down next to me, cuddling close to me with a yawn. Night had fallen, darkness sweeping over the land once more. I felt my eyes drooping down to sweep me off to dreamland, my body relaxed in Empire's hold. I finally felt safe again, something I hadn't felt in months.

As I lay next to him, I savoured this moment. We wouldn't be together for much longer, I feared. He had to return to battle pretty soon. But for now, this would be enough.

𐐒𐐚


	7. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY; 1781  **

Five months had passed since I had last seen Empire. He was off fighting in the revolution, paving the way for freedom. Pride swelled in my chest every time I thought about his bravery. He was risking everything for this country. I only wished that he were here with me to witness the birth of his son.

I hissed with pain as I paced back and forth, my daffodil hands clutching the fabric of my dress. Boiling hot agony seared through my core, my legs shaking with every step I took. Sunfay was standing worriedly at the window, keeping a close eye out for Empire's arrival. She had sent out a letter almost a week ago to tell him that I was about to pop. He sent back a short letter, four words scrawled out in raspberry ink: **_'I'm on my way.'_**

I bit back a scream as another wave of stabbing hit my body. I felt my legs collapse from beneath me, my body crashing down to the carpeted floor.

Sunfay let out a strangled yelp, dashing across the room to kneel next to my shaking figure. I let out a sob, my muscles contracting and pushing inside me. My hands clutched hers earnestly. I was going to kill Empire after this.

"C'mon little sister, let's get you somewhere comfortable," Her voice was smooth and comforting as she spoke, "I've already sent word for Jasmine and Evelyn to come and help; Sapphire is in the other room preparing for your babe's arrival."

A wavering smile dusted over my lips, my hands clutching her arms. Sunfay helped me to my feet, carrying me out of the room and into the adjoining. I clenched my eyes shut when I felt a pressure in my abdomen. Bringing another life into this world was torturous. 

Sunfay, the amazing sister she is, stayed by my side the entire time. Sapphire speedily entered the room after a few more moments of suffering, Evelyn and Jasmine flanking behind her. Evelyn was immediately next to me, taking over Sunfay's station. She ran a comforting hand through my dampened silver locks, a flittering smile stuck to the corner of her mouth.

"You're doing great, Tournes. You're babe will be in your arms soon!"

I tried to smile, but was cut short my an intensifying roll of torment that threw my mood out the window. I let out a scream, my body locked in a spasm of pain and torture. Sunfay's eyes widened with concern, her arms reaching to lift the material of my dress up to get a better look at what was going on.

Jasmine's face was pale as a freshly washed sheet, her hands moving to rest against her own pregnant bump. My head was light, my skin feeling as if it was on fire. My eyes willed for peace, to flutter shut and forget the events at hand. I fought to stay awake, fearing that my life would slip away through my fingers. I needed to stay alive; I needed to meet my son. That would be enough.

Sunfay's smiling face appeared in front of me once again. "Keep going, Tournes. I can see the head."

A flame sparked in my heart. I pushed forward, edging my body forward with every crash of pain. I had to keep going. I never gave up, not even when this whole war started. Memories of my mother's soothing words crossed my mind. Empire's smiling face fluttered over my vision, Perseus' teasing words. I thought of my father and how proud he would be. Colonial would pull me into a brotherly hug, Brye mocking him behind his back. 

Tears formed in my eyes, hot agony rushing through me, begging to escape. I clenched my teeth. I let it out. 

The cry of my baby silenced the world around us. I felt my body instantly relax, my heartbeat starting to slow. Sunfay carefully laid him against me, making quick to clean up the area around us. My eyes were filled with love as I gazed down at his tiny face, running my shaking fingers through his matted down hair in an attempt to sooth his cries.

My little boy. He looked just like his father, his tricolored features mirroring Empire's. His sparse silver locks were a mixture of Empire and I, the two of us both having the same unruly metallic hair. My baby looked like a little china doll, breakable at the touch. I ran my thumb over his soft chubby cheeks. He was the definition of perfection.

Evelyn gently took him from my hold, carrying him across the room to an awaiting bathtub full of steaming water. My head leaned forward to watch her.

"What're you doing?" I hoarsely asked, my mind a flurry of confusion. Evelyn barked a soft laugh, carefully rinsing his bloody skin and matted down hair.

"I'm cleaning him up fresh and clean, Tournes. Why don't you go with little Sapphire and get all cleaned up too? You can't be all that comfortable in bloody soaked clothes."

I nodded subconsciously, allowing for Saph to take me my the hands and lead me out of the room. We entered the kitchen, where the bathtub had been prepared for me. I slowly stripped out of my soaked dress, stepping into the warmth of the water. 

My head was leaned back as Sapphire took it upon herself to scrub me clean. I silently thanked her. My body felt too exhausted to function. I relaxed my aching muscles, thinking back to the new life that was being washed and clothed in the other room. Suddenly, I felt the urge to be with him again. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long.

Sapphire helped me out of the tub, leaving the room to allow for me to hurriedly dry and dress myself in a darling petal pink dress, layers of soft fabric stacking on top of one another. I was quick to tighten the corset strings that hung behind me, tying a lazy bow before slipping my feet into a pair of comfortable heels and fleeing the room.

The sitting room looked all the same when I entered, any trace of birth seeming to disappear from existence. My eyes swept across the room, a loving smile landing on my lips when they locked onto the wriggling body of my son. _My son_.

I floated across the floor, my muscles still aching from the birthing process. My arms cradled his body close to mine, tears beginning to pool in my eyes. I couldn't believe that I had created this little being. He's mine. My boy, he's mine.

Jubilant shouts interrupted the serene moment we had been sharing. Annoyed, I looked up and out the window.

A crowd of people were running up and down the road, their voices carrying across the wide open expanses of land. My smile grew wider when I caught what they were saying. I looked down at my son once more, pulling him even closer to me. Their words fell from my lips.

_"The world turned upside down."_

"The world turned upside down..." 

Evelyn burst into the room, her face light with happiness and pride. She beamed up at me, Jasmine and my sisters right behind her.

"We won."

𐐒𐐚


	8. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘹

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY; 1781  **

I gently rocked my baby boy in my arms, a soft lullaby falling from my lips. My heart swelled with love as I looked down at him, a smile donning my lips as he looked up at me. I pressed a warm kiss to his temple.

France Sol Empire had been born on October 19th, the day that Britain surrendered in Yorktown. Empire was finally coming home today to meet his son, both Brye and Colonial tagging along. Perseus was still deployed in South Carolina, and wouldn't be home for another few weeks. Even without him, I was still happy. Excitement coursed through my veins when I read the letter announcing his departure, practically dancing down the halls to dinner that evening.

Sapphire's heart swooned when she read that Brye was returning, her eyes filled with newly found love. My little sister had always been the romantic type, and was absolutely head over heels for the aqua islands. For whatever reason, Sunfay wasn't all too happy. But that may be because she was leaving in a few days to travel to Empire's land. My sister had gotten a taste of revolution, and she took it upon herself to help with one halfway across the world.

A soft knock came from the door to France's nursery, snapping me out of my thoughts. I cuddled the infant in my grasp closer to my chest, standing from the rocking chair to answer. 

My eyes glowed with happiness when I flung the door open, instantly engulfed in a longing hug. The babe in my arms wailed at the sudden movement, his cries carrying across the home. A light laugh filtered through my lips as I looked up at the figure who had upset him, his eyes shining with happiness and wonder. I smiled lovingly at him, welcoming him into the warmth of the nursery.

Empire's face lit up when I transferred France into his arms, instantly pulling him close to his body. His gaze was soft as he soaked in his serene features, tracing his calloused fingers over his soft chubby cheeks. I crossed my arms over my chest, leaning against the doorframe as I watched them. My heart was overflowing with happiness; we were all finally together.

"Dear little boy, what to say to you..."

I rested my hand over my heart, floating over to stand next to them. France looked up at his father, his little mouth turned up into a smile. I leaned my head against Empire's.

"You have my eyes, you have your father's name..." Empire's eyes filled with happy tears, "When you came into the world you cried, and it broke my heart..."

"I'm dedicating every day to you. Domestic life, was never quite my style. When you smile, you knock me out, I fall apart...and I thought I was so smart."

Empire smiled. "You will come of age with our young nation. We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you. If we lay a strong enough foundation, we'll pass it on to you. We'll give the world to you, and you'll blow us all away..."

I pressed a kiss to Empire's cheek, my fingers caressing his unruly curls. My gaze traveled down to our son, joy fluttering around in my chest. These past few months had been tough, with the revolution and the absence of my husband, but the prospect of meeting my son still kept me going. France kept me going. I lived long enough to meet my son, and hopefully even more children to come.

"Oh, France when you smile I am undone...my son. Pride is not the word I'm looking for, there is so much more inside me now." Tears glossed my vision. Why am I always so emotional? "Oh, France you outshine the morning sun...my son. When you smile, you knock me out and I fall apart. And I thought I was so smart..."

"My father wasn't around..."

"My mother wasn't around..." Empire met my gaze, our orbs hardening in an equally important promise we were about to make. Our voices were joined together when we spoke, "I swear that I'll be around for you."

"I'll do whatever it takes."

"I'll make a million mistakes."

"We'll make the war safe and sound for you...come of age with our young nation. We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you. If we lay a strong enough foundation, we'll pass it onto you. We'll give the world to you, and you'll blow us all away...someday."

"Someday..."

"You'll blow us all away, someday..."

"Someday..."

Empire glanced over at me, a smile tugging at his lips. France had fallen fast asleep in his arms, his little head nestled in the crook of his elbow. I watched them fondly, not saying a word in fear that I would break the moment. With a quiet chuckle, Empire slowly moved to lay our son in his crib, making sure to tuck him snug in his blankets. France instantly began to whimper, but was soothed by a quick kiss to his temple. Empire was already an amazing father.

He turned around to face me, taking my hand in his before leading me out of the room. I softly shut the door behind us, a surprised yelp escaping my lips when he pulled me into a feverish kiss. 

"I missed you so much, Honeybee. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there when he was born."

I laid a hand against his chest, a grin tugging at my cheeks. "You were fighting a war, Empire. There is nothing to apologize for. I bet that Colonial is eternally grateful for your contributions."

"Indeed I am."

We turned to see the striped nation, a smirking brightening his features. I rolled my eyes with a sarcastic huff, sauntering over to pull him into a hug. 

"Speak the devil and he appears."

Colonial scoffed, shaking his head. "And I thought we had something there, Sunshine."

We were all together again, just like old times. Well...almost.

𐐒𐐚


	9. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

**_( Dedicated to[local-melophile](https://www.wattpad.com/user/local-melophile) , who has been there since day one of publication. I hope this death doesn't hurt as much as any others that may come :) )_ **

** NEW YORK CITY; 1782  **

_I may not live to see our glory_

I was seated in the kitchen, my arms tired from stirring a steaming pot of stew. The rain thundered and poured just outside the window that overlooked our gardens, illuminating the dimly lit room every now and then when lightening struck the ground. 

I was humming an upbeat tune when Jasmine walked in, her footsteps silent and her face stained with tears. She and Colonial, along with their darling little boy Fredonia, had been staying with us for the past few days while the winter storms raged on the outside. We welcomed them with open arms, happy that our big spacious house was finally being filled.

Not taking any notice of her presence, I continued to cook our dinner. After a moment, she cleared her throat. 

"Tournesol, there's a letter for you from South Carolina." 

_But I will gladly join the fight_

Her voice was wavering as she spoke. I gave her a confused side glance, silently wondering why she was so upset. "It's from Perseus. I'll read it later."

She cleared her throat again. "No, it's not."

_And when our children tell our story_

I turned around, my heart starting to race. Our eyes met, my stomach seeming to fall to my feet. Something was held behind her gaze, guarded heavily in her blank eyes. I continued to stir. 

"Will you read it?" My gaze returned to the bubbling pot.

_They'll tell the story of tonight_

"On Tuesday, the twenty-seventh, Lieutenant Colonel **Perseus Isles** was **killed** in a gunfight against British troops in South Carolina. These troops had not yet received word from Yorktown that the war was over..."

_Perseus grinned, his blonde curls falling in front of his eyes. I smiled to myself, a light laugh falling from my lips as he took my hands in his. We did a little jig, our footsteps muffled against the worn dirt road._

"He's buried here until his family can send for his remains..."

_A whistle caught our attention from the doorway. I turned to spot Perseus, French Empire, and Brye standing in their military uniforms. Perseus grinned down at us. He had grown almost a head taller since I last saw him._

"As you may know, Lieutenant Colonel Isles was engaged in recruiting three thousand men for the first all-black military regiment..."

_Perseus glanced over at me, a teasing grin spreading like butter across his lips. "I didn't know that you served in the Revolution, Tournes!"_

"The surviving members of this regiment have been returned to their masters."

_Tomorrow there'll be more of us._

I dropped the wooden spoon into the pot, my breath caught in my throat. Tears swelled in my eyes, cascading down my cheeks in streams. Jasmine shot me a concerned look, her arms hugging her figure.

"Tournes...are you alright?"

I looked up, meeting her gaze. My heart felt empty for the first time since my mother died. Perseus had so much to live for. All the work he had done would be forgotten, dying just like the dream he had tried to make come true. I wiped away at my tears, moving away from the stove and toward the door.

**"I have so much work to do."**

𐐒𐐚


	10. 𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙬𝙤

𐐒𐐚

**_"Talk less; smile more."_ **

⇢ _The story of **Tournesol Isles** told through Lin Manuel Miranda's hit musical " **Hamilton** "_

** NEW YORK CITY; 1785  **

_**Tournesol Isles** ; daughter ( **Winter Isles** & **Yarelby Isles** ), sister ( **Sunfay** , **Perseus** , & **Sapphire** ), friend ( **Evelyn** , **Jasmine** , **Colonial America** , & **Brye Republic** ), wife ( **French Empire** ), & mother ( **France** , **Wintersol** , & **Perseus** )._

❝ _After the war, Tournesol Isles settles down with her husband and children. On the outside, she seems like the perfect woman. But delving deeper into her life, you will see a world full of love, loss, death, & heartbreak. And this is only the beginning. _❞ _  
_

**_Copyright_ © 2020 by @cl_ver_**

**All Rights Reserved**

𐐒𐐚 **  
**


	11. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY; 1789  **

"Shh...it's okay, Wintersol. Mumma's here..."

I dabbed a wet cloth to my daughter's forehead, frowning as she writhed under the thin silken sheets. Sweat clung to her skin as she let out a whimper, her face flushed red from the heat her body was enduring. Pain gnawed at my heart seeing her like this. No one ever wants to see their child sick like this.

A soft knock sounded from the door. I turned my head to see Jasmine slip through into the room, a bowl of cool water in her arms. Her eyes were filled with sympathy as she set it down on the table, gently resting a comforting hand on my tensed shoulder. I relaxed. 

"Why don't you take a break for a bit, Tournes. I'll give her a nice cool bath and hopefully put her to sleep..."

I bit my lip in thought, running my fingers through Wintersol's dampened hair. She shook under the sheets, her eyes peeking open just a bit. The usual pristine white was poisoned with a sickening yellow. I felt a weight on my chest.

"But what if she needs me..." Jasmine kneeled down next to me, carefully removing my hands from my daughter's curls.

"I'll be here if she needs anything..." Jasmine paused for a moment, seeming to hesitate, "France has been reading the newspaper downstairs and found something about your father..."

My breathing stopped, the memory of the day my brother passed away flashing over my vision. Jasmine seemed to notice this as she quickly continued. 

"Nothing's wrong-not like that! Just...read what is written, and you'll understand."

Nodding, I hesitantly stood. Jasmine shot me a smile as she began to work at consoling Wintersol, allowing for me to quickly flee the room. My footsteps clattered down the hallway toward the staircase, echoing through the house. I met France at the bottom, his freckled face morphed into confusion. 

His eyes lit up when he saw me, shoving the newspaper he had previously been reading into my hands.

"Look, grandpa's in the paper!" I looked down at the article he was pointing at, " 'War hero Winter Isles endangered of losing his seat to young upstart Colonial America'..."

My face paled at his words. If father lost that seat, he'd have to return back home. Colonial would lose his primary economic funds, all because he wanted to meddle in business that was already being dealt with. I ran to grab my coat, my eyes wide as saucers.

"Grandpa might lose his seat in the senate." France muttered, his little hands attempting to button up his own coat.

"I thought it was undisposed."

France pointed to the paper again. "Not according to the paper it isn't!"

I flung the front door open, grabbing his hand. "Make sure the door gets closed."

My youngest son Perseus was out in the front garden, stomping around in the dirt. I ran forward, scooping him into my arms before the trio of us rushed out into the crowded streets of New York. France had to sprint to keep up with me, the newspaper waving wildly in the air behind him. 

I had to find Evelyn. She was going to be furious. 

"Further down, further down! Isles has a challenger from New York."

"New York! For senator?"

"COLONIAL?!"

My mind was racing as the three of us rushed through the streets, my eyes hurriedly scanning each street corner we passed. Evelyn won't hold back from launching herself at Colonial, even if he is her brother-in-law. 

"I've gotta go, gotta find your auntie Evelyn."

"Let her know we're on her side!" France's eyes twinkled, a fire beginning to burn behind them. He look so much like his father.

"No-She'll consider this a personal slander! I've got to stop a homicide!"

"oH-"

We stopped in the middle of the square, a wave of nostalgia washing over me. I pushed it aside, focusing on what I was supposed to be doing. Panic began to settle within me. Perseus giggled in my arms, his bright orbs staring wildly around him. Too bad that his first time in the city was on terms like this.

"Look around, look around. Let's go and find your auntie down in New York."

"New York!"

Suddenly, a shout sounded from across the way, right beside the bubbling fountain. My eyes immediately went there, a sigh of relief falling from my lips when I realized who was standing there. I pulled France that way.

"COLONIAL!" 

Evelyn was seething, her voluminous skirts bunched in her fists. Her cheeks were flushed from anger at the prospect of Colonial's meddling. Winter was like a second father to her.

"Since when are you a democratic republic?"

Colonial smirked, carelessly shrugging his shoulders. "Since being one put me on the up again."

"No one knows who you are or what you do!" Evelyn bit back, glaring as he slung an arm over her shoulder. 

"They don't need to know me, they don't like you."

"Excuse me-"

Colonial chuckled. "Oh Wall street thinks your great, you'll always be adored by the things you create. But upstate you're the rascal who trades away the capital."

"Wait-"

"The asshole who taxes the alcohol!" He laughed. Evelyn crossed her arms over her chest, her left eye twitching. I knew that shit was about to go down. My pace quickened.

"I always considered you a friend." 

"I don't see why that has to end?" He swiped his thumb under her chin, angering her further. Evelyn hated being treated like an object. I finally reached the duo.

"A senate seat was up for grabs, and I took it. It's not my fault, people think you're crooked."

Evelyn snapped at him. "You're gonna make a fool of me?"

"There's the gal who almost shot Charles Lee in the jaw! By God, your pride will be the death of us all-"

Now was my chance to cut in. I pasted a smile onto my features. "Evelyn, there you are!"

Colonial's eyes widened as Evelyn turned around, her mood softening. "Tournesol-"

"I brought the kids to see you, they've been asking for awhile," My gaze met Colonials, "Colonial, sir. It's been so long...how are your sons?"

He looked to the ground. "As a matter of fact, my youngest has taken ill."

I frowned. "I'm not surprised, with this chill. My daughter has caught it as well...send him our regards."

He met my gaze, a small smile crossing his lips. "I will."

"And how's your eldest?"

Colonial grinned. "He's my pride and joy. Studying French and Latin."

France smiled a toothy smile, a blush forming over his chubby cheeks. "So am I!"

"He's the same age as your boy-"

Evelyn pulled France into her arms, glowering up at Colonial. "Yeah, well one day he'll run this town!"

I chuckled nervously. "We must be going, Colonial. Send your boys our love!"

He waved goodbye, turning to walk away. "It was nice meeting your sons."

"We're not done! COLONIAL!" 

I placed a hand on Evelyn's arm, my face deadpanned. Pink blossomed over her cheeks, her hands clasping together in front of her as to compose herself. A cheeky smile upturned the corners of my mouth.

"Let him go, he'll figure out what an awful mistake he made later on."

The sky above us had already faded into hues of orange and gold by the time we reached home, both little Perseus and France sleeping in our arms. Father was waiting for us by the door, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth when we crossed the threshold. 

I shot him a glance, my eyes filled with questions as I climbed the staircase. He calmly shook his head, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets with a wink. Evelyn smiled.

"I'll take the boys to their room, Tournes." She gently took Perseus from my arms, heaving both children up the remaining steps. I stood still for a moment, watching as they disappeared into the hall before turning to face my father.

"What's the damage?"

He flicked the brim of his hat, smirking. "Colonial should've talked to me before trying to run for council; I was resigning anyways."

My hands flew to my mouth. "No-"

A hearty laugh bubbled up from his throat. He adjusted the collar of his coat, making a 'tch' sound with his lips.

"I'm head of council now."

A grin spread across my lips. I flew down the stairs and into my father's arms, laughter ringing throughout the room. "Oh, that's great father! I cannot wait to tell Sunny!"

The front door swung open, two figures standing just outside. Father's eyes widened, happiness filling his eyes. I looked up, bouncing on the balls of my feet.

"What'd I miss?"

𐐒𐐚


	12. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦

𐐒𐐚

** PHILADELPHIA, 1789  **

The air was hot and stuffy in Congress Hall, the fleeting summer's air clinging to the remaining shards of light that filtered through the windows. I fanned myself tirelessly, my face flushed from the heat that was encased in the room. Sweat dampened my forehead, glistening in the candlelight that surrounded us. When was this debate going to begin? 

Finally, the door flew open to reveal my sister and Colonial. Sunfay walked in with her head held up high, a smirk upturning her lips. Colonial looked annoyed.

Father stood at the centre of the room, his arms crossed over his chest as the two took their seats. Then he spoke.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you could've been anywhere else in the world tonight, but you're with us here in Philadelphia! Are you ready for a cabinet meeting?" Cheers erupted from around me. I smiled, "The issue on the table: Secretary America plans to assume state debt and establish a national bank. Secretary Isles, you have the floor."

Sunfay stood from her seat, dusting off the front of her skirts. She walked around to the front of the room, scanning the crowd. 

"'Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; we fought for these ideals, we shouldn't settle for less'. These are wise words, enterprising guys quote 'em! Don't act surprised, you guys, 'cause I wrote 'em."

She turned to meet Colonial's gaze.

"But Colonial forgets, his plan would have the government assume states' debts. Now, place your bets as to who that benefits?" Her smirk widened, "The very seat of government where Colonial sits."

"Not true!" He slammed his hands on the desk, fuming. Sunfay ignored him, turning back to the crowd.

"Oh, if the shoe fits wear it! If New York's in debt, why should Virginia bear it? Uh, our debts are paid, I'm afraid. Don't tax the South 'cause we got it made in the shade."

Her eyes sparkled. "In Virginia they plant seeds in the ground. They create, you just wanna move their money around! This financial plan is an outrageous demand, and it's too many damn pages for any woman to understand."

"Stand with me in the land of the free! And pray to God we never see Colonial's candidacy." She rolled her eyes, "Look, when Britain taxed our tea, we got frisky. Imagine what gon' happen when you try to tax our whiskey..."

Father shook his head, clapping his hands. "Thank you, Secretary Isles. Secretary America, your response?"

Colonial flew out of his seat, immediately taking Sunfay's previous spot. His gaze locked on mine, hardening into a glare. I frowned. Did he think that I put her up to it?

"Sunfay, that was a real nice declaration. Welcome to the present, we're running a real nation. Would you like to join us? Or stay mellow, doing whatever the hell it is you do in Monticello."

"If we assume the debts the union gets a new line of credit, a financial diuretic. How do you not get it? If we're aggressive and competitive, the union gets a boost! You'd rather give it a sedative?"

A flame sparked in his eyes as he turned, pointing an accusing finger at my sister.

"A civics lesson from a slaver? Hey neighbor: Your debts are paid 'cause you don't pay for labour. 'wE pLaNt sEeDs iN tHe sOuTh, wE cReAtE!' You keep ranting! We know who's really doing the planting."

My hands balled into fists. Sunfay was strictly against slavery; it was illegal in our homeland because of her for God's sake! Her love for Virginia was mirrored for her love of our lands; they were almost the exact same. Colonial has no idea what he is talking about. 

"And another thing, Mrs. 'age-of-enlightenment'! Don't lecture me about the war, you didn't fight in it. You think I'm frightened of you, girl? We almost died in a trench, while you were off gettin' high with the French!"

This seemed to anger my father. His eyes narrowed into slits.

"Sunfay Isles, always hesitant with the president. Reticent, there isn't a plan he doesn't jettison."

His gaze snapped to her husband, Cygnus France. Cygnus was a minor city in French Empire's lands; I didn't like him very much. He looked too friendly.

"Cygnus, you mad as a hatter, so take your medicine. Damn, you in worse shape that the national debt is in! Sittin' there useless as two shits. Hey, turn around, bend over, I'll show you where my shoe fits."

Sunfay bolted up out of her seat, ready to launch herself at Colonial. My father grabbed his arm, yanking him away from a fuming Cygnus and a furious Sunfay. 

"Excuse me! Cygnus, Sunfay, take a walk. Colonial, take a walk! We're gonna reconvene after a brief recess," He chuckled nervously, "Colonial?"

"Sir?"

"A word." His eyes were hard as he left the room. I stood from my seat, walking over to where my sister was standing. She made her way over to Colonial with Cygnus.

"You don't have the votes. You're gonna need congressional approval, and you don't have the votes."

"Such a blunder, sometimes it makes me wonder why I even bring the thunder..."

"Why she even brings the thunder." The two of them left the room, leaving me alone with Colonial. Father appeared next to us again once everyone had left.

"You wanna pull yourself together?"

"I'm sorry these nations are birds of a feather." Colonial shoved his hands into his pockets. My father sighed.

"Young man, they are my family, so watch your mouth."

Colonial looked up at him, his eyes softening. I could tell that the American looked up to my father a lot for guidance, only hoping to receive praise from him. Something stirred in the pit of my stomach. That look reminded me of my brother.

"Sir, we let congress get held hostage by the South?"

My father shook his head with a small smile. "You need the votes..."

"No, we need bold strokes, we need this plan!"

"No, you need to convince more folks." My father tried to reason.

"Well, Cygnus won't talk to me. That's a non-starter-"

"Uh, winning was easy, young man. Governing's harder." Father loomed over him, his eyes hardening. I could see the memories of the wars cross over his vision, memories of my brother when we were back home. Perseus had the same spunk as Colonial currently held, always trying to outsmart the enemy. 

Perseus would be ashamed of what this world has become. I turned my head toward Colonial as he spoke again.

"They're being intransigent!"

I couldn't take the bickering anymore; it was giving me a raging headache. I yearned to be back at home with my children, out in the blooming gardens that surrounded our home. Empire was sailing back home at the moment; he was probably already there right now. With that in mind, I jumped into the conversation.

"You have to find a compromise."

Both Colonial and my father looked toward me now. Father held a calculating gaze.

"But they don't have a plan, they just hate mine!" Colonial bit back. I swallowed a groan.

"Convince them otherwise!" I retaliated, my voice thundering across the room. My eyes were blazed with stress and exhaustion. Colonial fell silent for a moment.

"...and what happens if I don't get congressional approval?"

I chuckled softly, smiling wryly. "I imagine they'll call for your removal."

Wide eyed, he turned to my father. "Sir-"

"Figure it out, America. That's an order, from your commander."

𐐒𐐚


	13. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

**( Dedicated to[local-melophile](https://www.wattpad.com/user/local-melophile) )**

**( Don't kill me pLEASE- )**

𐐒𐐚 **  
**

**NEW YORK CITY, 1791**

There are moments that the words don't reach. There is suffering too terrible to name. You hold your child as tight as you can, and push away the unimaginable. The moments when you're in so deep, it feels better to just swim down. 

The Empires move uptown, and learn to live with the unimaginable. 

I spend hours in the garden, my mind still fuzzy from grief. Sometimes I think that I still hear her voice, soft as cotton and warm as a spring day. Images of her laughing face, her bright curious eyes still fog my every thought. 

I walk alone to the store, and it's quiet uptown. I never liked the quiet before. My life has been filled with so much chaos up until now; where did all the noise go?

Empire and I take the children to church on Sunday. A sign of the cross hung on the door. I was never the religious type of nation. 

But I pray. That never used to happen before.

_If you see her in the street, walking by herself, talking to herself, have pity._

"Darling, you would like it uptown, it's quiet uptown..."

_She is working through the unimaginable. Her hair has gone grey, she passes every day. They say she walks the length of the city..._

"You knock me out, I fall apart. Can you imagine...?"

_"I'm dedicating every day to you. Domestic life, was never quite my style. When you smile, you knock me out, I fall apart...and I thought I was so smart."_

France had locked himself in his room for weeks. I rarely see him anymore these days. Perseus is a numbed shell of his former self, the sparkle no longer shining in his eyes. It broke my heart to see them like this.

Empire rested a gentle hand on my knee, tears clouding his eyes. My chest tightened at the sight of the frown at his lips. We hadn't spoken since it happened.

"Look at where we are, look at where we started...I know I don't deserve you, Tournes-but hear me out, that would be enough," Tears cascaded down his cheeks, "If I could spare her life, if I could trade her life for mine she'd be standing here right now. You would smile...and that would be enough..."

"I don't pretend to know the challenges we're facing...I know there's no replacing what we've lost, and you need time," He paused for a moment, taking a breath, "But I'm not afraid, I know who I married. Just let me stay here by your side...that would be enough."

_If you see him in the street, walking by her side, talking by her side, have pity._

"Empire, do you like it uptown, it's quiet uptown..."

He breathed a shallow breath, pressing a quick kiss to my temple before pulling me into his arms. My body was dull of emotion, but I could still feel a fluttering when I felt the drumming of his beating heart. A small smile briefly graced my lips.

_He is trying to do the unimaginable. See them walking in the park, long after dark, taking in the sights of the city._

"Look around, look around, Tournesol..."

_They are trying to do the unimaginable..._

There are moments that the words don't reach; there is a grace too powerful to name. We push away what we can never understand...we push away the unimaginable.

_They are standing in the garden, French Empire by Tournesol's side. She takes his hand..._

"It's quiet uptown..."

_If you see him in the street, walking by her side, talking by her side, have pity....they are going through the unimaginable._

"I'll miss you Wintersol..."

𐐒𐐚


	14. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1797  **

"The issue on the table: French Empire is on the verge of war with Britain. Do we provide aid and troops to our French allies or do we stay out of it? Remember, my decision on this matter is not subject to congressional approval." His eyes swept over to my sister, who stood from her seat with a graceful bow. "The only person you have to convince is me, Secretary Isles. You have the floor."

She giddily sauntered the the centre of the room, clapping her hands in front of her with a determined look in her eyes. My sister was the most stubborn person I knew; it would take a lot to tear her down. 

I could only hope that she could pull through and convince the representatives to aide my husband.

Sunfay cleared her throat with the wave of a hand, smoothing down the front of her skirts before speaking:

"When we were on death's door, when we were needy; we made a promise, we signed a treaty. We needed money and guns and half a chance. Uh, who provided those funds?"  
  


She looked pointedly toward Colonial. He puffed his cheeks glumly. "France."

Murmurs weaved through the crowd. A small smile graced my lips as I fanned myself with the wave of my gloved hand. Sunfay smirked at his response, gesturing that she was continuing.

"In return, he didn't ask for land. Only a promise that we'd lend a hand, and stand with them if they fought against oppressors. Revolution is messy, but now is our time to stand! Stand with our brothers as they fight against tyranny!" Jubilant cries erupted from the back of the room. Sunfay caught Colonial's eyes, her own burning gaze piercing through his.

"I know that Colonial America is here and he would rather not have this debate, but I'll remind you that he is NOT Secretary of State!" Colonial stood from his seat in a fury, seething at her words. Sunfay grinned mockingly in his direction. "He knows nothing of loyalty. Smells like new money, dresses like fake royalty. Desperate to rise above his station, everything he does betrays the ideals of our nation!"

My father tried to shush the crowd, softly chuckling as Sunfay took a dramatic bow. His eyes were hard when she turned to face him once more. This didn't seem to phase her.

"Hey, and if ya don't know, now ya know, Mr. President."

Father rolled his eyes, allowing for Sunfay to take her seat. "Thank you, Secretary Isles. Secretary America, your response?"

Colonial practically flew out of his seat, grabbing the people's attention in an instance. Everything was calm, like time had stopped the second he took the floor. Tension was thick in the air as he slowly raised a hand to point in Sunfay's direction, his face cold and hard. Then the silence shattered.

"You must be out of your GODDAMN mind if you think that the president is gonna bring the nation to the brink of meddling in the middle of a military mess, a game of chess, where French Empire is Queen and Kingless." He turned to the representatives. "We signed a treaty with a King whose head is now in a basket! Would you like to take it out and ask it?"  
  


He pulled a mock-concerned face. " _Should we honor our treaty, King Louis' head?_ "

"Uh...do whatever you want, I'm super dead!"

Father slammed his fist on his desk. "Enough! Enough! Colonial is right."

Sunfay's mouth was agape. I stared at him incredulously. "Mr. President-"

"We're too fragile to start another fight."

"But father, do we not fight for freedom?" I asked, a frown at my lips.

"Sure, when the French figure out who's gonna lead 'em." He spat. My eyes narrowed into slits, fists balling at my sides.

"The people are leading!" 

"The people are rioting! There's a difference, Tournesol. Frankly, it's a little disquieting; you would let your ideals blind you to reality. Colonial?"

"Sir?" Colonial looked up. Father's face wavered for a split second, standing from his seat to leave.

"Draft a statement of neutrality."

With the final word said and done, people began to filter out of the room. In the end, only Colonial and I remained. Sunfay was waiting just outside the door. Our gazes locked onto each other's when he finally noticed that I had stayed back.

"Did you forget Empire?" I mumbled.

"What?"

"Have you an ounce of regret?" I spat out venomously, "You accumulate debt, you accumulate power. Yet in his hour of need, you forget-"

"Empire's a smart man he'll be fine," He interrupted, looking down at the papers in his hands. "And before he was your friend, he was mine. If we try to fight in every revolution in the world, we never stop. Where do we draw the line?"

"So quick-witted." My voice was mocking as I spoke.

"Alas, I admit it."

"I bet you were quite a lawyer."

"My defendants got acquitted." Colonial shot back. I pressed on with a smirk.

"Yeah. Well, someone ougta remind you."

"What?" His eyes narrowed. My smirk widened.

"You're nothing without my father behind you."

Colonial bit the inside of his cheek, slowly gathering his things. My father's voice rang through the room. 

"Colonial!"

I gathered my skirts as I walked toward the exit, pausing at the door. I took a shallow breath.

"Daddy's calling."

𐐒𐐚


	15. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦

𐐒𐐚

** PHILADELPHIA, 1798  **

"Empire...you asked to see me?"

I stepped into the dimly lit study, my voice wavering just above a whisper. Things between Empire and I had been tense lately due to the raging war in his nation, but I could feel a sense of calmness in the room this time around. My heart skipped a beat when he turned away from his place at the window, his gaze softening at the sight of me in the doorway. He walked toward me.

"I know you're busy..."

I shot him a confused look. "What do you need, Empire?"

"I want to give you a word of warning..." He leaned back against the heavy oak desk, seeming to ponder upon his choice of words. I crossed my arms over my chest, pursing my lips.

"I don't know what you've heard, but whatever it is, Colonial started it-"

"Colonial resigned this morning."

I stared at him in surprise, my jaw dropping considerably. "You're kidding..."

Empire smiled at me, standing straight once more. I composed myself, straightening out the front of my dress as he walked toward me. My heart still beat wildly in my chest.

"I need a favour..."

"Whatever you say, Colonial will pay for his behavior."

"Shh...talk less." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, cradling my cheek in his hand. I blushed lightly, attempting to hide a smile. Empire smirked as I giddily replied.

"I'll use the press-I'll write under a pseudonym, you'll see what I can do to him!"

Empire chuckled, his eyes brightening for the first time in years. I was briefly brought back to our younger days, when our only worries were lavish dances and a yearn for war. The need for freedom had clouded our minds for so long, we hadn't lived our lives like they were meant to be. I couldn't remember the last time I had been blissfully happy in Empire's company, just the two of us like before; perhaps we could take a holiday to father's manor...

"I need you to draft an address." His quick words snapping out of my thoughts, the lighthearted emotion in my chest seeming to evaporate immediately. I pushed a fake smile onto my lips.

"Yes, he resigned. You can finally speak your mind-"

"No, he's stepping down to run for president." He stepped away, running a hand through his hair, "I'm stepping down, and returning to my nation."

"I'm sorry, what?"

My heart shattered into a million pieces. The house felt colder and emptier as he spoke, my mind not wanting to process what was looming before us. How long had he been thinking of this? 

A warm smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "One last time...relax, have a drink with me. Let's take a break tonight, and then we'll teach them how to say goodbye, you and I..."

"No...Empire, why? We have a family here, you have two sons that need you....I need you!" Tears swelled in my eyes, my vision going blurry. I expected for my husband to try and console me like all the times before, but no comfort came from the French nation. He was focused on a slew of documents that sat on his desk, too worried about leaving us behind to see that he was practically abandoning his wife and children.

"I want to talk about neutrality."

"Empire, with you and Britain on the verge of war, is this the best time-"

"I want to warn against partisan fighting."

"But-" 

"I want to talk about what I have learned, the hard-won wisdom I have earned."

"As far as the people are concerned, you have to serve. You could continue to serve-"

Empire whirled around, his orbs ablaze. I took a weary step back, hesitating with my words. I had never seen him like this before; what was he not telling me?

"No! One last time the people will hear from me, one last time...and if we get this right we're gonna teach them how to say goodbye, you and I-" 

Tears flowed freely down my cheeks now, anger festering inside me. A fire sparked deep in my core, the flames building higher and higher with each wave of emotion that washed over me. I felt defenseless without him, how dare he leave me alone? We have a family here, a future that has been building up for decades. I finally exploded.

"They will say you're weak!"

"No, they will see we're strong."

"You're position is so unique!" I tried to reason, but to no avail.

"So I'll use it to move them along..."

"Why do you have to say goodbye?"

"If I say goodbye, the nation learns to move on, it outlives me when I'm gone. Like the scripture says: " _Everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid_." They'll be safe in the nation we've made...I wanna sit under my own vine and fig tree, a moment alone in the shade, at home in the nation I made."

"But what about the children, Empire? What about me?! Are you just going to leave because you feel like you are needed elsewhere?"

"I don't have a choice, Tournesol!"

A drew in a shaky breath, my voice quiet as I recited the words that meant so much to us. " _But I'm not afraid, I know who I married. Just let me stay here by your side...that would be enough..._ "

Things would never be the same between us. With one last glance his way, I left Empire alone in the study, my mind reeling from the emotional stress I had just been put under. My footsteps echoed through the empty hall, the noise bouncing around the rafters and throughout the house. It was only when I entered the gardens that I collapsed into a fit of tears, heavy sobs racking my body. 

The rest of my life was just ripped to shreds. The future was now unknown to us. I didn't think that I could continue on.

"One last time..."

𐐒𐐚


	16. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

** PHILADELPHIA, 1798  **

Snow fell gently to the ground, crunching softly under my quick footsteps. Sunfay was standing just ahead of me, her arms crossed across her chest. Her shoulders shivered in the frigid temperatures, her cheeks a flushed shade of red. A relieved smile danced across her lips when she finally spotted me, a relieved sigh fogging the air in front of her face.

"Finally! Hurry up, it's cold out here Tournes. The boys are already waiting inside."

I rolled my eyes, grabbing her arm as I rushed into the warmth of the meeting hall. After Empire returned to his lands, Sunfay had helped with raising Perseus and France. Her own husband Cygnus had gone with my husband, since he was a city of his. The bruises that littered her body had begun to fade since his departure.

"So what happened?" I inquired, my eyes lighting up when Perseus ran into my arms. Sunfay shrugged her shoulders, playfully nudging France away when he tried to bop the top of her head.

"We haven't heard anything much, but I can tell you that this election might be postponed. We still have to find a replacement for your dumbass of a husband."

A frown pursed at my lips. France cleared his throat after a stiff moment of silence, adjusting the buttons on his coat. A crooked grin was twisted at his lips, his eyes sparkling with happiness. He looked so much like his father.

"Sunny said that we could join you in the meeting room, as long as we lay low and be quiet. Do you think that Colonial would let me run for father's spot?"

Sunfay rested a gentle hand on his shoulder, a small smile on her face. "That's a bit of a sore subject for your mother, France. We'll talk after this, alright?"

He nodded his head, taking Perseus by the arm and tugging him into the adjoining area. Sunfay looped her arm through mine after they left, shooting me a consoling look before following in suit. I could only muster a pitiful smile as we walked through the door.

How does Colonial, the short-tempered protean creator of the coast guard, founder of the New York Post, ardently abuse his cabinet post, destroy his reputation?

Welcome, folks to the Adams Administration!

No one could decide on a new leader for Colonial's thirteen states, and without the influence of my father and French Empire, power was temporarily given to a prominent figure in the nation. My sister was the runner-up in temporary leadership, making her the vice president. She laughed heartily when it was announced later on in the meeting, promptly turning to Colonial to boast:

" _My father can't help you now, no more Mr. Nice President!_ "

After all this went down, Colonial was filled with rage. Without the presence of Empire to back him up, nor my lingering presence to vent to, the country turned to the press to explode his troubles. Better yet, when Adams heard of Colonial's anger, he promptly fired him. I still hung around Congress hall when Sunfay was working, and I cannot count how many times I heard this Adams fellow privately call Colonial a 'creole bastard'.

Colonial published his response:

" _SIT DOWN, JOHN, YOU FAT MOTHERFUCKER!"_

Sunfay was furious when she read what Colonial had wrote, tearing the new paper the second her eyes scanned the words. 

"Colonial is out of control!"

I smirked. "This is great! He's out of power, he holds no office. And he just destroyed President John Adams, the only significant member of his party."

She shook her head with a shuddering sigh. Her gaze seemed to waver between me and the door, the words she wanted to say stuck in her throat. Finally, she spoke up.

"He's just upset...Adams did just fire him from his job. He's been Secretary for years Tournes, you have to understand-"

"Colonial is a host unto himself. As long as he can hold a pen, he's a threat. Besides, he cheated on Jasmine with Netherlands. He deserves not an ounce of forgiveness..."

She stayed silent. I took a breath, my shoulders slumping. He didn't deserve all this hate. I wasn't mad at Colonial, I was upset with French Empire. A dozen thoughts swarmed my mind as we basked in the silence, the only sound shared between us being quiet breathing. Her eyes were downcast toward a stack of papers on her desk, feathery writing scattered across the pages. That was when I realized that they were all the letters I had sent over the years to French Empire, tied up with a piece of worn twine. 

Why did she have these? 

Sunfay looked up to meet my gaze, pulling me into a tight hug as the tears started to roll down my cheeks. I couldn't take this anymore. He wasn't the person he used to be, and now he was erasing me from his narrative.

"Give him another chance, Tournes...maybe he's just trying to keep these safe while he's away? The revolution over there is way worse than Colonial's ever was."

"I'll give him one more chance. But after this, I'm done."

𐐒𐐚


	17. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1798  **

_"The American Pamphlet?"_

"Have you read this?" I slammed the paper onto the dining room table, an astounded grin on my face. France paused his eating midbite, surprised by my sudden change of demeanor. Perseus snatched up the pamphlet, scanning the words quickly. His mouth was left agape toward the end, flinging it back onto the table before racing out of the room. France's fork clattered back down to his plate.

"Where are you going, Pers? You haven't eaten breakfast yet!"

He poked his head back into the dining room, his face pale. "Fredonia needs me; I don't know when I'll be back."

France turned toward me after his brother fled the room for a second time. "What happened maman? Did someone die?"

My grin widened, gesturing toward the thick layers of papers sitting on the table. "Colonial America had a torrid affair, and he wrote it down right there-"

Sunfay burst into the room, a nation I hadn't seen in forever rushing in after her. In her hands was the pamphlet, her eyes wildly scanning the words. She stopped right in front of us. Evelyn cast me a worried look, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked older than I remembered.

" _The charge against me is in connection with one **Belgium** , for purposes of improper speculation. my real crime is an amorous connection with his wife, to whom of which I produced a bastard daughter. This happened for a considerable time, with his **KNOWING CONSENT!** "_

"Damn..." I muttered, my gaze snapping to meet France's. His eyes were widened in surprise, his breakfast long forgotten as he took the papers from his aunt's hands. He began to read the next part aloud to us, blocking out the sound of the front door slamming open.

" _I had frequent meetings with her, most of them at my own house._ "

Evelyn's eyes hardened. "At his own house!"

" _Mrs. Jasmine America with our children being absent on a visit to her father._ "

"No..." I breathed, my chest filling with dread. Even if I detested Colonial with a burning passion, Jasmine didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this.

"HAVE YOU READ THIS?!" A voice boomed, the figure of Brye Republic sprinting into the room. His eyes were ablaze with fury, the pamphlet gripped in his fists. He threw it down onto the floor in anger, instantly captivating everyone's attention. Sunfay's eyes softened when she met his, her hand reaching out to rest on his arms. This seemed to catch him off guard; Sunfay had become a lot more quiet and submissive since meeting Cygnus. I cleared my throat.

"Well he's never gon' be president now."

"That's one less thing to worry about I suppose..." Sunfay breathed, tossing the papers onto the table. France suddenly tapped my shoulder, pointing toward the doorway. My eyes hardened when a figure made himself visible. 

Colonial rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes glued to the floor. Brye seethed from his spot next to Sunfay, a complete three sixty from his former happy-go-lucky self. Evelyn stepped forward, catching his attention. A frown crossed his lips.

"When did you arrive, Evie?"

She winced lightly at the nickname, sighing softly. "I came as soon as I heard..."

Their eyes met, a small smile crossing his lips. He must have thought that she was on his side. "Evelyn, thank god. Someone who understands what I'm struggling here to do-"

France and I shared a look; what did he mean by that?

Evelyn cut him off with a cold glare. "I'm not here for you..."

His face fell, his relieved demeanor shattering. Evelyn held back tears as she walked closer to the nation, her hands balled at her sides. They met gazes, emotion shared between the two. Then she slapped him.

"I know my sister like I know my own mind, you will never find anyone as trusting or as kind! I love my sister more than anything in this life, I will choose her happiness over mine every time. Put what we had aside, I'm standing at her side. You could never be satisfied, _God I hope you're satisfied_..."

She flew out of the room, leaving the rest of us behind in tense silence. Colonial stood still as a statue, clutching his stinging cheek. A brief laugh fell from my lips.

"Well, you're never gon' be president now!"

"Now get out of my house; you're not welcome anymore."

𐐒𐐚 


	18. 𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚

𐐒𐐚

**_"Talk less; smile more."_ **

⇢ _The story of **Tournesol Isles** told through Lin Manuel Miranda's hit musical " **Hamilton** "_

** NEW YORK CITY, 1799  **

_**Tournesol Isles** ; daughter ( **Winter Isles** & **Yarelby Isles** ), sister ( **Sunfay** & **Sapphire** ), friend ( **Evelyn** & **Jasmine** ), & mother ( **France** & **Perseus** )._

❝ _Everything is going wrong._ ❞

**_Copyright_ © 2020 by @cl_ver_**

**All Rights Reserved**

𐐒𐐚


	19. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1798  **

_We slowly twirled around as the hues of orange and red blanketed the earth, our gazes locked on one another. His eyes sparkled with joy as he lifted me into the air, the dimples on his cheeks becoming prominent with the smile that came with it._

_"Raise a glass to freedom! Something they can never take away, no matter what they tell you!"_

_I landed softly on my feet, the spell that tied the two of us together broken by the sound of my brother's annoying voice. He and Colonial were locked arm in arm, their loud voices carrying out across the rolling hills of New York._

_"Raise a glass to the four of us!" Brye added onto their proclamation, his gaze flickering to French Empire for a moment, "Tomorrow there'll be more of us!"_

_"Telling the story of tonight!"_

_French Empire slid an arm around my waist, rolling his eyes with a hidden grin. "They'll tell the story of tonight..."_

**_I saved every letter you wrote me. From the moment I read them I knew you were mine, you said you were mine. I thought you were mine..._ **

_Sunfay glared at him while French Empire joined in. He had grown to be more bold with his words and actions over the past few years._

_"Is it a question of if, Brye, or which one?"_

_Perseus playfully rolled his eyes, pushing the two of them into the hall. "Alright, alright, stop flirting with my sisters. Let's get this show on the road, I wanna get laid tonight before we return to battle."_

_Sunfay nodded, quickly taking Sapphire's hand in hers before Brye had the chance. She stuck her tongue out at him childishly, yanking the shorter girl through the door to hop in the carriage. Perseus looked toward Brye, who in turn shrugged his broad shoulders before following after them._

_French Empire met my gaze as Perseus left to help them into the carriage, a smile dotting his lips. He shoved his hands into his coat pockets, his eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Hey."_

_I felt my face flush pink. I laced my hands together in front of me. "Hey."_

_We were silent for a moment, neither one of us meeting the other's gaze. The silence was interrupted yet again by my brother's annoying voice._

**Do you know what Sunfay said when we saw your first letter arrive? She said:**

**_"Be careful with that one, Tournes. He'll do what it takes to survive."_ **

_French Empire's eyes snapped up to meet mine, attempting to stifle his laughter. He offered me his arm, leading the two of us out into the crisp winter air. I shivered a bit, not used to this kind of cold after spending the majority of the year in a heat spell. He stopped walking, shedding off his military coat and hanging it around my shoulders. I looked up at him._

_"I can't take this, you'll get cold."_

_He calmly shook his head, leading me to the awaiting carriage in front of the manor. "I'll be fine, honeybee. I'm not the one wearing a gown, now am I?"_

**You and your words flooded my senses, your sentences left me defenseless. You built me palaces out of paragraphs, you built cathedrals...**

_I met his gaze, a playful smile at his lips. All panic that had made it's home inside me disappeared in an instance. This was French Empire, a nation I had known for years. The same nation that bought me flowers from the floral booth in town, who made me little animals out of paper. The country who called me honeybee when nobody else was around. Why was I scared?_

_I smiled. "Tournesol Isles. It's a pleasure meeting you."_

_Sunfay snorted. French Empire decided to play along, looking to my sister. "Isles?"_

_"My sister." She rolled her eyes._

_I did a curtesy. "Thank you for all your service."_

_I stood up straight, allowing for French Empire to bow and plant a kiss to my hand. "If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it."_

_Evelyn grabbed my sister and Jasmine's hands, a teasing smirk still playing at her lips. "We'll leave you to it!"_

_They fled from the area, leaving me and French Empire to ourselves. He offered me his arm. "Wanna dance?"_

_I slipped my hand through his, not bothering to take his arm. "I would love that."_

**_I'm rereading the letters you wrote me. I'm searching and scanning for answers in every line, for some kind of sign of when you were mine..._ **

_"Tournesol, I don't have a dollar to my name, an acre of land, a troop to command, a dollop of fame. All I have's my honor, a tolerance for pain, a couple of college credits and my top-notch brain," He swept me into his arms, "Insane, your family brings out a different side of me. Saph confides in me, Sunny tried a couple time to fight me. No stress, my love for you is never in doubt; we'll get a little place in Harlem and we'll figure it out."_

_He kneeled to the ground, pulling a band of silver and pearl from his coat pocket. I covered my mouth in excitement. "And as long as I'm alive Tournes, I swear to God you'll never feel so-"_

_I jumped into his arms. "I do! I do! I do! I do!"_

**The world seems to burn....**

_"Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now..."_

_Realization seemed to dawn on him. A tear slid down his cheek as he looked down at my bump. "How long have you known?"_

_"A month or so..."_

_"Tournes, you should have told me!"_

_"I'm not sorry!" A smirk dawned my lips, my feet carrying me across the floor into Empire's awaiting arms. I continued, my voice soft and tender, "I new you'd fight until the war was done, but you deserve a chance to meet your son...look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now..."  
_

_Empire's gaze bore into my own, raw fear and love swirling in those white orbs of his. I felt my heart skip a beat._

**Burn...**

_"I don't pretend to know the challenges your facing, the words you keep erasing and creating in your mind. But I'm not afraid, I know who I married. So as long as you come home at the end of the day, that would be enough."_

_My hands clutched his as I pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth, biting the inside of my cheek. My stomach was a queasy mess when I was trapped in his embrace, my heart a fluttering mess in my chest. I had to resist the urge of keeping him all to myself; Empire had a war to fight...after our son was born._

_I rested my head on his shoulder. "We don't need a legacy...we don't need money. If I could grant you peace of mind, if you could let me inside your heart. Oh, let me be a part of the narrative they will write someday! Let this moment be the first chapter, where you decide to stay..."_

_"And I could be enough." My eyes were filled with tears when I pulled my head back, a fleeting smile at my lips. Empire wiped them away with the side of his thumb, pasting a kiss against my temple._

_"And we could be enough."_

_"That would be enough..." Empire pulled me into his strong embrace, holding me closer than he ever had. My salty tears were sopped up by the royal blue fabric of his overcoat, blotchy stains soaking into the material. A airy laugh left my lips when we pulled apart, my hands making quick work to wipe at the mark left behind._

**You returned all the letters I wrote you, you threw away our marriage like it was nothing. Just in clearing your name, and fleeing to your lands, you have ruined our lives...**

_Empire's face lit up when I transferred France into his arms, instantly pulling him close to his body. His gaze was soft as he soaked in his serene features, tracing his calloused fingers over his soft chubby cheeks. I crossed my arms over my chest, leaning against the doorframe as I watched them. My heart was overflowing with happiness; we were all finally together._

_"Dear little boy, what to say to you..."_

_I rested my hand over my heart, floating over to stand next to them. France looked up at his father, his little mouth turned up into a smile. I leaned my head against Empire's._

_"You have my eyes, you have your father's name..." Empire's eyes filled with happy tears, "When you came into the world you cried, and it broke my heart..."_

_"I'm dedicating every day to you. Domestic life, was never quite my style. When you smile, you knock me out, I fall apart...and I thought I was so smart."_

_Empire smiled. "You will come of age with our young nation. We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you. If we lay a strong enough foundation, we'll pass it on to you. We'll give the world to you, and you'll blow us all away..."_

**Do you know what Sunfay said when I told her what you'd done? She said, " _You've married an Icarus; He has flown too close to the sun."_**

_Empire glanced over at me, a smile tugging at his lips. France had fallen fast asleep in his arms, his little head nestled in the crook of his elbow. I watched them fondly, not saying a word in fear that I would break the moment. With a quiet chuckle, Empire slowly moved to lay our son in his crib, making sure to tuck him snug in his blankets. France instantly began to whimper, but was soothed by a quick kiss to his temple. Empire was already an amazing father._

_He turned around to face me, taking my hand in his before leading me out of the room. I softly shut the door behind us, a surprised yelp escaping my lips when he pulled me into a feverish kiss._

_"I missed you so much, Honeybee. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there when he was born."_

_I laid a hand against his chest, a grin tugging at my cheeks. "You were fighting a war, Empire. There is nothing to apologize for. I bet that Colonial is eternally grateful for your contributions."_

**You and your words, obsessed with your legacy, your sentences border-on senseless. You are paranoid in every paragraph, how they'll perceive you...**

_Empire and I take the children to church on Sunday. A sign of the cross hung on the door. I was never the religious type of nation._

_But I pray. That never used to happen before._

**You...**

_"Look at where we are, look at where we started...I know I don't deserve you, Tournes-but hear me out, that would be enough," Tears cascaded down his cheeks, "If I could spare her life, if I could trade her life for mine she'd be standing here right now. You would smile...and that would be enough..."_

**You...**

_"Empire, do you like it uptown, it's quiet uptown..."_

**I'm erasing myself from the narrative; let future historians wonder how Tournesol Isles reacted when you broke her heart. You've torn it all apart, I'm watching it burn...**

_If you see him in the street, walking by her side, talking by her side, have pity...._ **  
**

**Burn...**

_"No...Empire, why? We have a family here, you have two sons that need you....I need you!" Tears swelled in my eyes, my vision going blurry. I expected for my husband to try and console me like all the times before, but no comfort came from the French nation. He was focused on a slew of documents that sat on his desk, too worried about leaving us behind to see that he was practically abandoning his wife and children. **  
**_

**The world has no right to my heart.**

_Pink flushed against my cheeks as he smiled kindly at me, marking the page he was on before tucking it neatly into his bag._ **  
**

**The world has no has no place in our bed.**

_My eyes glowed with happiness when I flung the door open, instantly engulfed in a longing hug. The babe in my arms wailed at the sudden movement, his cries carrying across the home. A light laugh filtered through my lips as I looked up at the figure who had upset him, his eyes shining with happiness and wonder. I smiled lovingly at him, welcoming him into the warmth of the nursery. **  
**_

**They don't get to know what I said. I'm burning the memories, burning the letters that might have redeemed you...**

_One month later, I'm writing a letter nightly. Empire wasted no time in courting me, already planning for the future we will have together. My heart fluttered with love every time I saw one of his letters arrive, the cursive writing bringing joy back to my soul._ **  
**

**Your forfeit all rights to my heart.**

_"But what about the children, Empire? What about me?! Are you just going to leave because you feel like you are needed elsewhere?"_ **  
**

**You forfeit the place in our bed, you'll sleep in your office instead.**

_A drew in a shaky breath, my voice quiet as I recited the words that meant so much to us. " **But I'm not afraid, I know who I married. Just let me stay here by your side...that would be enough...** "_ **  
**

**With only the memories, of when you were mine...**

_This was French Empire, a nation I had known for years. The same nation that bought me flowers from the floral booth in town, who made me little animals out of paper. The country who called me honeybee when nobody else was around. Why was I scared?_ **  
**

**I hope that you...**

_I softly shut the door behind us, a surprised yelp escaping my lips when he pulled me into a feverish kiss._

**Burn...**

_Things would never be the same between us. With one last glance his way, I left Empire alone in the study, my mind reeling from the emotional stress I had just been put under. My footsteps echoed through the empty hall, the noise bouncing around the rafters and throughout the house. It was only when I entered the gardens that I collapsed into a fit of tears, heavy sobs racking my body._ **  
**

𐐒𐐚


	20. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1799  **

My eyes were glossed over with tears as I stared at the letter in my hands, my heart a million pieces inside me. French Empire was dead. My husband, whom left us alone to fend for ourselves....was gone. I couldn't contain my sorrow anymore.

_**I gently rocked my baby boy in my arms, a soft lullaby falling from my lips. My heart swelled with love as I looked down at him, a smile donning my lips as he looked up at me. I pressed a warm kiss to his temple.** _

A wave of sobs wracked my body, my shoulders shaking with every convulsion. I still loved him deep down; I never stopped, even after he was gone. His death pained me. I felt like a piece of me died along with him.

**_A soft knock came from the door to France's nursery, snapping me out of my thoughts. I cuddled the infant in my grasp closer to my chest, standing from the rocking chair to answer.  
_ **

"Maman...is everything alright?"

**_My eyes glowed with happiness when I flung the door open, instantly engulfed in a longing hug. The babe in my arms wailed at the sudden movement, his cries carrying across the home. A light laugh filtered through my lips as I looked up at the figure who had upset him, his eyes shining with happiness and wonder. I smiled lovingly at him, welcoming him into the warmth of the nursery._ **

I turned my head to see France standing in the doorway, his eyes flooded with concern. I shook my head, festering up the words to tell him. Grief washed over me; I had to tell them that their father was gone.

**_Empire's face lit up when I transferred France into his arms, instantly pulling him close to his body. His gaze was soft as he soaked in his serene features, tracing his calloused fingers over his soft chubby cheeks. I crossed my arms over my chest, leaning against the doorframe as I watched them. My heart was overflowing with happiness; we were all finally together._ **

"Dear little boy...what to say to you..."

**_"Dear little boy, what to say to you..."_ **

"Maman?" France kneeled down next to me, confusion washing over his features. I hadn't called him that since he was young. 

**_I rested my hand over my heart, floating over to stand next to them. France looked up at his father, his little mouth turned up into a smile. I leaned my head against Empire's._ **

"Sometime last night, your father breathed your name..." His eyes widened as he processed my words, "And like a flame that flickers out too soon, he died....he's go-"

_**"You have my eyes, you have your father's name..." Empire's eyes filled with happy tears, "When you came into the world you cried, and it broke my heart..."** _

I collapsed into another wave of sobs, burying my face in his shoulder. France cradled me close to him, his own tears soaking the fabric of my dress. I could feel the shortened rise and fall of his chest, the whimpers he fought to stay down. France was now the man of the house, his father's legacy. He was next in line to inherit the lands we had so desperately fought to keep over the years. All responsibility was now resting on his shoulders; history had it's eyes on him.

**_My heart was overflowing with happiness; we were all finally together.  
_ **

I cleared my throat. "He dedicated every day to you...he changed my life, he made my life worthwhile. And when you smile..." I pulled away to cup his tearstained face in my hands. A wavering smile dotted the corners of my mouth, "A part of him lives on...I know I can go on..."

**_"I'm dedicating every day to you. Domestic life, was never quite my style. When you smile, you knock me out, I fall apart...and I thought I was so smart."_ **

France finally broke down in my arms, a staggering wail erupting from his chest. Flashbacks from his infancy rang through my mind, another rush of tears forming in my eyes. I blinked back my tears, my voice soft. "You have come of age with our young nation...we bleed and fight for you, sometimes it seems that's all we do." I wrapped my arms tighter around his shaking figure, "But you and I will build a strong foundation, and I'll be here for you..."

**_Empire smiled. "You will come of age with our young nation. We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you. If we lay a strong enough foundation, we'll pass it on to you. We'll give the world to you, and you'll blow us all away..."  
_ **

"The way is clear for you to blow us all away..." 

**_I pressed a kiss to Empire's cheek, my fingers caressing his unruly curls. My gaze traveled down to our son, joy fluttering around in my chest. These past few months had been tough, with the revolution and the absence of my husband, but the prospect of meeting my son still kept me going. France kept me going. I lived long enough to meet my son, and hopefully even more children to come.  
_ **

"Someday...someday. Yeah, you'll blow us all away..."

**_"Someday..."_ **

**_"You'll blow us all away, someday..."_ **

**_"Someday..."_ **

"Someday, someday...."

_**Empire was already an amazing father.  
** _

𐐒𐐚


	21. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1800  **

Meet the latest graduate of King's College! I probably shouldn't brag, but dag, I amaze and astonish. The scholars say that I've got the same brains and virtuosity as my Pop's; the ladies say that my brain's not where the resemblance stops. 

I'm only nineteen, but my mind is older. I gotta be my own man, like my father, but bolder. I shoulder his legacy (disregarding my older brother, who clings to mum's teat like a newborn kitten) with pride, I used to hear him say that someday we would-

**_"Blow us all away..."_ **

I approached a gaggle of gals dressed up in their fineries, slumming around in the city in their fancy heels. With a smirk on my face, I leaned against the wall and began to talk with them.

"Ladies, I'm looking for a Mr. George Eacker. He made a speech last week, our Fourth of July speaker." They stared at me blankly. I groaned internally, "He disparaged my father's legacy in front of a crowd. I can't have that, I'm tryna make my mother proud."

One wearing a jeweled feather hairpiece smiled kindly, resting her hand on my shoulder. Her blonde locks were pushed behind her ear, curls framing her heart shaped face. She was pretty, I'll say that. But the British accent that tugged at her words made me think otherwise.

"I saw him just up Broadway, a couple of blocks. He was going to see a play."

"Well I'll go visit his box." I tipped my hat their way, stepping back to leave. But not without hearing a Georgian flower speak up.

"God, you're a fox!"

A wolfish grin washed over my lips. I tipped her chin up with my thumb, my eyes scanning the four girls surrounding me. "Y'all look pretty good in your frocks; how 'bout when I get back, we all strip down to our socks?"

"Oh my God!" 

They squealed as I walked away, a chuckle emitting itself from my throat. I shoved my hands into my coat pockets, the same royal blue coat my father wore during his time serving in the American Revolution. Mum had given it to me when he passed away last year, so that I had a piece of him. It was almost like he was here sometimes; it still smelled like gunpowder and ink.

I flung the doors of the theatre open in a flash, the hot summer heat blowing in. My antagonist was sitting up in a box above the stage, staring down intensely at the two idiots frolicking about the stage. I gagged silently when they kissed romantically, sprinting up the stairs to confront Eacker.

"George. George!"

"Shh, I'm tryna watch the show." He shushed, waving a dismissing hand my way. I slapped it away, pointing a threatening finger his way.

"You should've watched your mouth before you talked about my father though!"

Eacker rolled his eyes, turning to face me. "I didn't say anything that wasn't true. You're father's a scoundrel, and so it seems you."

I balled my fists at my side. How dare he say that about my father, who fought against Britain even after their stupid Revolution to ensure that they had the freedom they so desperately complained about. 

"It's like that?"

"Yeah, I don't fool around. I'm not one of your little schoolboy friends-"

"I'll see you on the dueling ground." I snapped, cutting him short of finishing his sentence, "That is, unless you want to step outside and go now."

Eacker turned to finish watching his play, waving another dismissing hand my way. "I'll know where to find you; piss off, I'm watching the show now." 

My mind was a flurry of thoughts as I walked back down the street. I've never been in a duel before, I had no idea what to do. My thoughts drifted to my...friend, Fredonia. His dad had been in duels before, maybe he could give me some advice?

To Fredonia's house I went. The Americas didn't live that far off from Broadway; I could only hope that Colonial America was around. After the affair he had with Netherlands, Jasmine had forgiven him. It took a little longer for Fredonia to finally give in, but he was a lot happier once he did. Too bad mum didn't like Colonial, otherwise we could hang out more.

I knocked on the door, subconsciously dusting off my appearance in the reflection of the windows. Jasmine appeared in the doorway a few moments later, the same warm smile painted across her glossed lips as usual. She moved aside to let me in, cleaning her hands off on the flowery apron tied around her waist.

"What a surprise, Perseus! What brings you here this afternoon? Fredonia's out running errands with United and Manhattan."

I scratched the back of my neck nervously, fiddling with the collar of my coat. "Well, Mrs. America, I was wondering if I could ask your husband for some advice. I kinda...sorta got myself into a fickle situation..."

She narrowed her blank eyes at me, leading me through the narrow hall and past the kitchen. "Colonial is in his office at the moment, writing up another amendment for the constitution. What have you got yourself into this time?"

"It's a personal matter, Mrs. America-with all due respect, I don't want to be rude or anything."

Jasmine huffed, softly rapping at the door. "Boy, I delivered you and your sister from your mother's womb. There's nothing that you can keep from me, I'll find out in the end."

The door swung open, a frazzled Colonial America standing with a quill in his hand. He adjusted his wireframed glasses, clearing his throat. "Sweetpea, you didn't tell me that we had a visitor!"

The older nation took one last glance at me before smiling lovingly at her husband. "Oh, little Perseus just arrived unexpectedly! He said that he needs advice over....'personal matters'."

Colonial rubbed at his chin. "Well I suppose I can spare a bit of time. Why don't you come on in and we can talk, Pers. Lovebug, can you grab me another jar of ink? I've nearly run out..."

Jasmine patted the side of his face, planting a chaste kiss on his nose before gliding down the hall. Colonial returned to his desk, beckoning me to have a seat across from him.

"Now tell me, Perseus; what did you do this time?"

I took a breath. There was so much jumbled information in my mind, where did I start? Maybe I should've came up with a plan before coming here. Oh how I wish I could be with Fredonia right now...

"George Eacker disparaged my father's legacy in front of a crowd at the Fourth of July celebration last week. I cannot let that slide. If you only heard the shit he said about him! I doubt he woulda let it slide and I was not about to-" 

"Slow down..."

"I came to ask you for advice, this is my very first duel. They don't exactly cover this subject in boarding school..."

Colonial pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked tired and fed up with the world, all cooped up in his little office. Ink stained his fingertips, and a quill stuck out from behind his ear. "Did your friends attempt to negotiate a peace?"

"He refused to apologize, we had to let the peace talk cease."

"Where is this happening?"

"Across the river in Jersey..." We met gazes, speaking at the same time.

" _Everything is legal in New Jersey._ "

"All right," Colonial stood from his chair, walking to a bookcase that stood beside the window. He pulled out a wooden box, searching around for a key while he spoke. "So this is what you're gonna do: Stand there like a man until Eacker is in front of you. When the time comes, fire your weapon in the air; this will put an end to the whole affair."

I bit my lip. "But what if he decides to shoot, then I'm a goner!"

Colonial shook his head, smiling when he plucked a brass key out of an empty glass vase. "No, he'll follow suit if he's truly a man of honor. To take someone's life, that is something you can't shake," He looked up, sending me a sincere look, "Perseus, your mother can't take another heartbreak."

"Mr. America-" I stuttered.

"Promise me," He paused, trying to find the right words, "You don't want this young man's blood on your conscience."

I sighed, looking down at my clasped hands. "Okay, I promise."

Colonial unlocked the box, pulling out a shining pistol. My eyes widened at the sight of it, a sour pit of fear forming in my stomach. He gently set it in front of me, allowing for me to gingerly take it into my grasp. We locked eyes.

"Come back here when you're done. Take my gun, be smart; make me proud, _son_."

My name is Perseus, I am a poet.

I'm a little nervous, but I can't show it. I'm sorry, I'm an Empire with pride. You talk about my father, I cannot let it slide!

"Mr. Eacker! How was the rest of your show?" I grinned, shielding my eyes from the setting evening sun. The man rolled his eyes, loading his pistol with a round of ammunition.

"I'd rather skip the pleasantries, let's go."

I methodically fiddled with the trigger of the gun Colonial had given me, paying no mind to the shouting that was coming from the riverside. People were all the time gathering on the banks to have picnics and swim in the water. Today was boiling after all.

One of my friends from boarding school had volunteered to be my second. He stood at my side, a confident smile at the corners of his mouth. He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Good luck, Perseus. Let's get a drink after this."

I grinned. "I'm having supper with my mother after I return this pistol to Colonial. How about tomorrow afternoon?"

"Sounds good."

Eacker cleared his throat from across from me, cracking his knuckles. "Grab your pistols."

"Confer with your men. The duel will commence after we count to ten!"

I breathed a sigh, focusing on my ten paces. Fear had taken hold of my insides, my stomach practically doing somersaults with every step I took. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the doctor turn around, so he could have deniability.

Whipping around, a blank look washed over my features. My gaze met George Eacker's, cold as ice and hard as stone. Look him in the eye, aim no higher. Summon all the courage you require. Then slowly and clearly, aim your gun towards the sky.

Our seconds began to count.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine-

_Nine-_

_Eight._

_Seven._

_Six._

_Five._

_Four._

_Three._

_Two._

_**One** last thought._

_Before we got in the boat to cross the Hudson, I stopped to write a note; Actually, I wrote_

_**Two.** Just in case I didn't make it through. I want the world to know what I intended to do._

_**Three.** If I shoot first and throw it away, he has to yield, we both get to live another day. I know this puts me in a difficult spot, but I've got to throw away my shot._

_**Four.** I get lucky, I draw first position. I stand facing east as I load my ammunition. The sun is in my eyes, I am almost giddy. I watch it slowly set over my New York City._

_**Five.** I start to shake when I realize, that I may not make it out of this alive. I can only hope and pray that this man is a man of honor._

_**Six.** I examine the gun that Colonial has shared. I've never hurt a soul, I am so scared._

_**Seven.** My mum is still at home, cooking supper for my brother and I. I left them a letter...I could've written it better..._

_**Eight.** Your last chance to negotiate. Send in your seconds, see if they can set the record straight._

_I put on my glasses, so I can see if Eacker is softening. I see him glaring back at me. I feel a sense of calm fill me; it's not in his political interest to kill me_

_**Nine.** My last thought is of Fredonia. Maybe I can get back home before he realizes that I'm gone. They put us through our paces, we count to ten._

_God, I can't wait to see him again..._

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine-

I aim my pistol at the sky, closing my eyes with a fleeting smile. Tears glide down my cheeks, a pain searing through my abdomen.

**_"WAIT!"_ **

𐐒𐐚


	22. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 (𝘱𝘵. 2)

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1800  **

**_"WAIT!"_ **

_Stay alive..._

_Stay alive..._

"Where is he?!" Colonial burst through the swarms of people, rushing to the tent where Perseus was located. The doctor that was standing nearby rushed forward, meeting Colonial's gaze. "Mr. America, they brought him in half an hour ago. A few friends of his were there at the scene, but ran off after Eacker after we rushed Perseus to the shoreside. He lost a lot of blood on the way over-"

"Is he alive?!" Colonial nearly cried.

"Yes, but you have to understand: the bullet entered just above his hip and lodged into his right arm-"

"Can I see him, please?"

"I'm doing everything I can, but the wound was already infected when he arrived."

Colonial rushed to his side, kneeling down beside him. The younger nation fought back tears as he clutched his side, forcing a wavering smile to sprinkle over his lips. Tears gathered in his blank orbs; this was all his fault.

"Perseus..."

Perseus hummed softly, turning his head to the side to meet Colonial's gaze. "I did exactly as you said, Pops. I held my head up high..."

"I know, I know. Shh-"

"I-"

"I know, I know, shh...I know, you did everything just right."

"Even before we got to ten-"

"Shh..."

"I was aiming for the sky..."

"I know, I know, shh..."

"I was aiming for the sky-"

"I know, I know. Save your strength and _stay alive_..."

Tournesol burst through the tent flaps, France hot on her heels. She was in hysterics, frantically trying to get to her youngest son's side; her eldest had to hold her back. The doctor motioned for Colonial to stand, allowing for the sobbing nation to rush forward and kneel at her son's bedside.

"Is he breathing? Is he going to survive this?" She turned to look up at Colonial, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Who did this?! Colonial, did you know?!"

Perseus rested a comforting hand on hers, snapping her out of her emotional attack. He wheezed shallowly between every word, but he finally got the words out. France hung back by the door, his face wet with tears. They couldn't handle another loss.

"Mum, I'm so sorry for forgetting what you taught me..."

"My son..."

He winced in pain, his face becoming paler. "We played piano..."

"I taught you piano..."

"You would put your hands on mine-"

"You changed the melody every time..."

Perseus's eyes widened a bit as he struggled to breath. "I would always change the line-"

"Shh-I know, I know..." Tears fell onto the cloth that covered the cot he laid on. She ran a feverish hand through his silver locks, a watery smile at her lips.

"I-I would always change the line-"

"I know, I know..."

" _Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf..._ " They whispered together, Perseus' eyes closing toward the end. Tournesol squeezed his hand reassuringly. The doctor had to leave the tent.

"Good! _Un, deux, trois_ , quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf..."

Her face went blank. Perseus didn't respond, laying still as a stone. France started to weep into his hands, having to walk out of the tent as to not take in the scene anymore. Colonial felt as if his heart had shattered into a billion pieces. How was he going to explain this to Fredonia?

"Sept, huit, neuf..." Tournesol tried again, squeezing his hand a little tighter.

"Sept, huit..."

_**"Sir...we found your son laying in a field, bleeding out from a bullet hole in his abdomen. A friend of his said that he wanted to avenge the young man that is laying in the tent behind you. My deepest condolences, Mr. America..."** _

𐐒𐐚


	23. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1800  **

_**"I may not live to see our glory!"** _

_**I groaned loudly, flinging my head back as the silhouettes of Brye Republic and Colonial America popped into view. Empire chuckled from beside me, rising to his feet. He offered me his hand, but I waved it off as I stood on my own.** _

_**"Raise a glass to freedom, something you will never see again!" Colonial laughed, thrusting a sloshing cup of alcohol into the air. I crossed my arms with a huff, glowering at the nation in front of me.** _

**_Colonial jumped forward with a smirk. "Well, well, I heard you've got a special someone on the side Pers."_ **

**_Empire cocked his brow with a teasing grin. "Is that so?"_ **

**_"What're you trying to hide, Pers?" I prodded, walking forward to nudge his arm._ **

**_His face flushed a shade of pink, his gaze now glued to his dust-covered boots. Perseus was never one to settle down, so this was all new to us. From what I could tell, things were getting serious with this girl he was seeing._ **

**_"I should go..." He rambled, reaching into his coat pocket to produce a small wrapped box. He thrusted it into my hold. Empire stopped him._ **

**_"No, these guys should go." He chuckled._ **

**_"What?"_ **

**_"No!"_ **

**_"Leave us alone!" I barked back, sending the two tipsy nations back into the ballroom. Things were silent for a bit as we stood in the garden, the only sound shared between us being the breeze whistling through the branches of the trees._ **

**_I laid a hand against his chest, a grin tugging at my cheeks. "You were fighting a war, Empire. There is nothing to apologize for. I bet that Colonial is eternally grateful for your contributions."_ **

**_"Indeed I am."_ **

**_We turned to see the striped nation, a smirking brightening his features. I rolled my eyes with a sarcastic huff, sauntering over to pull him into a hug._ **

**_"Speak the devil and he appears."_ **

**_Colonial scoffed, shaking his head. "And I thought we had something there, Sunshine."_ **

**_"Look, grandpa's in the paper!" I looked down at the article he was pointing at, " 'War hero Winter Isles endangered of losing his seat to young upstart Colonial America'..."  
_ **

**_"COLONIAL!"_ **

**_Evelyn was seething, her voluminous skirts bunched in her fists. Her cheeks were flushed from anger at the prospect of Colonial's meddling. Winter was like a second father to her._ **

**_"Since when are you a democratic republic?"_ **

**_Colonial smirked, carelessly shrugging his shoulders. "Since being one put me on the up again."_ **

**_"No one knows who you are or what you do!" Evelyn bit back, glaring as he slung an arm over her shoulder._ **

**_"They don't need to know me, they don't like you."_ **

**_"Excuse me-"_ **

**_Colonial chuckled. "Oh Wall street thinks your great, you'll always be adored by the things you create. But upstate you're the rascal who trades away the capital."_ **

**_"Wait-"_ **

**_"The asshole who taxes the alcohol!" He laughed. Evelyn crossed her arms over her chest, her left eye twitching. I knew that shit was about to go down. My pace quickened._ **

**_"I always considered you a friend."_ **

**_"I don't see why that has to end?" He swiped his thumb under her chin, angering her further. Evelyn hated being treated like an object. I finally reached the duo._ **

**_Colonial's eyes widened as Evelyn turned around, her mood softening. "Tournesol-"_ **

**_"I brought the kids to see you, they've been asking for awhile," My gaze met Colonials, "Colonial, sir. It's been so long...how are your sons?"_ **

**_He looked to the ground. "As a matter of fact, my youngest has taken ill."_ **

**_I frowned. "I'm not surprised, with this chill. My daughter has caught it as well...send him our regards."_ **

**_He met my gaze, a small smile crossing his lips. "I will."_ **

**_"And how's your eldest?"_ **

**_Colonial grinned. "He's my pride and joy. Studying French and Latin."_ **

**_France smiled a toothy smile, a blush forming over his chubby cheeks. "So am I!"_ **

**_"He's the same age as your boy-"_ **

**_Evelyn pulled France into her arms, glowering up at Colonial. "Yeah, well one day he'll run this town!"_ **

**_I chuckled nervously. "We must be going, Colonial. Send your boys our love!"_ **

**_He waved goodbye, turning to walk away. "It was nice meeting your sons."_ **

**_"We're not done! COLONIAL!"_ **

**_I placed a hand on Evelyn's arm, my face deadpanned. Pink blossomed over her cheeks, her hands clasping together in front of her as to compose herself. A cheeky smile upturned the corners of my mouth._ **

**_"The issue on the table: Secretary America plans to assume state debt and establish a national bank. Secretary Isles, you have the floor."  
_ **

**_She turned to meet Colonial's gaze._ **

**_"But Colonial forgets, his plan would have the government assume states' debts. Now, place your bets as to who that benefits?" Her smirk widened, "The very seat of government where Colonial sits."_ **

**_"Not true!" He slammed his hands on the desk, fuming. Sunfay ignored him, turning back to the crowd.  
_ **

**_"Oh, if the shoe fits wear it! If New York's in debt, why should Virginia bear it? Uh, our debts are paid, I'm afraid. Don't tax the South 'cause we got it made in the shade."_ **

**_Colonial flew out of his seat, immediately taking Sunfay's previous spot. His gaze locked on mine, hardening into a glare. I frowned. Did he think that I put her up to it?_ **

**_"Sunfay, that was a real nice declaration. Welcome to the present, we're running a real nation. Would you like to join us? Or stay mellow, doing whatever the hell it is you do in Monticello."_ **

**_"If we assume the debts the union gets a new line of credit, a financial diuretic. How do you not get it? If we're aggressive and competitive, the union gets a boost! You'd rather give it a sedative?"_ **

**_A flame sparked in his eyes as he turned, pointing an accusing finger at my sister._ **

**_"Uh, winning was easy, young man. Governing's harder." Father loomed over him, his eyes hardening. I could see the memories of the wars cross over his vision, memories of my brother when we were back home. Perseus had the same spunk as Colonial currently held, always trying to outsmart the enemy._ **

**_Perseus would be ashamed of what this world has become. I turned my head toward Colonial as he spoke again._ **

**_"They're being intransigent!"_ **

**_I couldn't take the bickering anymore; it was giving me a raging headache. I yearned to be back at home with my children, out in the blooming gardens that surrounded our home. Empire was sailing back home at the moment; he was probably already there right now. With that in mind, I jumped into the conversation._ **

**_"You have to find a compromise."_ **

**_She looked pointedly toward Colonial. He puffed his cheeks glumly. "France."_ **

**_"You must be out of your GODDAMN mind if you think that the president is gonna bring the nation to the brink of meddling in the middle of a military mess, a game of chess, where French Empire is Queen and Kingless." He turned to the representatives. "We signed a treaty with a King whose head is now in a basket! Would you like to take it out and ask it?"  
  
_ **

**_He pulled a mock-concerned face. "Should we honor our treaty, King Louis' head?"_ **

**_"Uh...do whatever you want, I'm super dead!"_ **

**_"Yeah. Well, someone ougta remind you."_ **

**_"What?" His eyes narrowed. My smirk widened._ **

**_"You're nothing without my father behind you."_ **

**_Colonial bit the inside of his cheek, slowly gathering his things. My father's voice rang through the room._ **

**_"Colonial!"_ **

**_I gathered my skirts as I walked toward the exit, pausing at the door. I took a shallow breath._ **

**_"Daddy's calling."_ **

**_"Promise me," He paused, trying to find the right words, "You don't want this young man's blood on your conscience."  
_ **

**_"Come back here when you're done. Take my gun, be smart; make me proud, son."_ **

**_"I know, I know, shh...I know, you did everything just right."_ **

**_"Is he breathing? Is he going to survive this?" She turned to look up at Colonial, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Who did this?! Colonial, did you know?!"_ **

**_Colonial._ **

**_Colonial._ **

**_Colonial._ **

**_Colonial._ **

**_Colonial._ **

**_Colonial._ **

_"Weehawken, dawn. Guns, drawn."_

_"You're on."  
_

𐐒𐐚


	24. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1800  **

"Maman, why are you not asleep?"

"I have an early meeting out of town..."

"It's still dark outside."

"I know...I just need to write something down..."

"Why do you write like you're running out of time?"

"Shh....it's alright, just go back to sleep darling. I'll be up in my own bed after I finish writing."

"Maman, go back to bed, that would be enough."

"I'll be back before you know I'm gone..."

"Go back to sleep."

"This meeting's at dawn..."

"Well, I'm going back to sleep..."

"Hey. Best of sons and best of men."

𐐒𐐚


	25. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺

𐐒𐐚

** NEW JERSEY, 1800  **

There are ten things you need to know:

**One**. We rowed across the Hudson at dawn, the sunlight just peeking over the tree line behind us. My coat was tied tight around me, my eyes blurry with sleep. I didn't understand why my sister demanded that they have a duel. I didn't understand a lot of what she went on about lately; she hasn't made much sense since Perseus was shot. I should've listened to Sunfay. But here I was, trying my best to be good sister. I signed on as her number

 **Two.** Colonial arrived with his crew: Brye Republic, and a doctor that he knew. My stomach churned at the sight of my ex lover; we hadn't spoken since I lost the baby. He looked as pale as a sheet, the bags under his eyes telling me that he hadn't slept in days. 

**Three.** I watched him examine the terrain, his orbs scanning the flattened plateau surrounded by woods. Tournesol stood still as a statue beside me, humming an upbeat tune. Her mind was away at the moment. I wish I could tell you what was happening in her brain. Colonial locked gazes with me, a worried frown playing at his lips. I returned the look, crossing my arms over my chest. Something was definitely wrong with this situation.

_Most disputes die and no one shoots_

**Four.** Tournesol drew first position, looking to the world like a man on a mission. Her trembling hands gripped the handle of the gun-Perseus' pistol from way back when he served in the revolution. Her brain was still in another world, but her body was in the present. Her body knew that this was wrong, that this wasn't right. I bowed my head sullenly; our brother would definitely detest what she was attempting to do, but alas. He wasn't here to change her mind. It was too late to change her mind.

Colonial America fumbled with his own gun, wincing as it clattered to the ground. He speedily crouched down to pick it from the dirt. Tournesol giggled oddly from beside me as he ran his striped fingers over the shining metal, dusting it off of any debris. This was a soldier with a marksman's ability, but I didn't think for a second that he was going to use that against her. None of us wanted to be here.

_The doctor turned around so he could have deniability._

**Five.** Now, I didn't know this at the time but,

**_Near the same spot her son died, is that why?_ **

**Six.** She examined her gun with such rigor. I watched as she methodically fiddled with the trigger. I shot Colonial a comforting smile, yet worry still swarmed my eyes. This didn't seem to console him, but he sent me a watery smile. My lips downturned into a frown as I diverted my gaze to the waving fields of wheat just across the way. The clouds swam across the sky overhead, creating a mass of darkness over us. This could be it for her, for him. I took in a sharp breath.

 **Seven.** Confession time, here's what I got: " _Everyone will tell you, she's a terrible shot._ " I looked at my sister, searching for any sign of hesitance. We could quit this all right now, and return home in time for breakfast. Yet her face was still blank, and her eyes dead and cold. This was really happening. Tears slipped down Colonial's cheeks when he realized that she wasn't letting up.

" _I never throw away my shot..._ "

 **Eight.** Our last chance to negotiate. They sent in their seconds to see if they could set the record straight. I met Brye in the middle, stiffly shaking his hand. 

_"Ah, so you've discussed me!" He leaned in close to her blushing face, their noses almost touching. "I'm a trust fund, baby, you can trust me."  
_

He looked as if he wanted to say something, yet the words that captivated his mind seemed to flee. I remained the same.

"Can we agree that duels are foolish and immature?"

"I agree immensely, but she's not letting up. Her mind has left with the summer's wind..."

"What do you mean?" Brye fidgeted with the buttons that were sewn to his coat, his graying hair ruffled by the steady breeze. My heart fluttered, yet I had to keep my composure. Sunfay's words flashed through my mind. _Talk less, smile more._

I offered him a small smile, hugging my coat closer to my shivering body. "Tournes hasn't been the same since Perseus passed on. Her thoughts don't line up, her memory has become corrupt. She isn't the same woman from all those years ago..."

"Even if she doesn't know one thing from another, one thing is going to stand clear before we're done."

His face contorted into one of confusion. "And what's that?"

" _This man will not make an orphan of her son._ "

 **Nine.** Look him in the eye, aim no higher. Colonial shook with a choking sob, his arm raising the gun up in front of him. All emotion was washed from Tournesol's face. Her eyes. Her eyes still crested with years of feelings and memories. I stood a bit away from my sister, watching them both with a calculating gaze. It was quite funny, how Colonial was writhing with the terror accompanied with this duel, scared that he may accidently kill his friend, all while Tournesol stands there like she knows what the outcome will be without hesitation. This wasn't the Tournes that we knew. She wasn't the same person. The real Tournesol was gone.

_Summon all the courage you require._

My sister took a laboring breath, her chest rising up dramatically as she grinned wildly. I bit my lip with anticipation. This was the calm before the storm. Brye looked up to the clearing sky, muttering a prayer under his breath.

Time slowed as they began to count down. Memories of all the years behind us coursed through my mind on repeat, blinding my vision from the events at hand...

**_ONE._ **

_"I kept a tight grip on my older sister **Sunfay** 's arm as we stepped out of the carriage, our vibrantly coloured dresses standing out against the drab attire of the New Yorkers surrounding us. **Sapphire** followed right after, her cheeks tinted pink from exposure to the sweltering August heat that suffocated the colonies._

_"It's boiling out here, Sunny! Are you sure you want to do this?" Saph complained, fanning herself with the flick of a gloved hand. Sunfay rolled her eyes as she tugged me into the crowd, our younger sister immediately jumping to catch up._

_The square was filled with sounds of merchants yelling out cheap prices, women bragging to each other about their children, and drunken songs that echoed from the pub a few yards away. My gaze flickered around my surroundings as I soaked everything in. Father never allowed us to venter into the city alone without him."_

**_TWO._ **

_"I smiled lovingly as we sat down on a stone carved bench beneath the weeping willow, the stars twinkling in the night sky above us. Resting my head against Empire's shoulder, I closed my eyes. This was my life now. This was my forever. I was excited._

_"I may not live to see our glory!"_

_I groaned loudly, flinging my head back as the silhouettes of Brye Republic and Colonial America popped into view. Empire chuckled from beside me, rising to his feet. He offered me his hand, but I waved it off as I stood on my own._

_"Raise a glass to freedom, something you will never see again!" Colonial laughed, thrusting a sloshing cup of alcohol into the air. I crossed my arms with a huff, glowering at the nation in front of me._

_Brye joined in, slinging an arm over Empire's shoulders. "No matter what she tells you!"_

_"Let's have another round tonight!"_

_I looked behind me with a smile, running into the arms of my older brother. Perseus grinned, wrapping his arms around my waist as he buried his head in my shoulder. It had been months since I last saw him, and I didn't think he'd make it to the wedding. Father stationed him in a higher-up position, and he rarely had any free time to visit."_

**_THREE._ **

_"The sitting room looked all the same when I entered, any trace of birth seeming to disappear from existence. My eyes swept across the room, a loving smile landing on my lips when they locked onto the wriggling body of my son. My son._

_I floated across the floor, my muscles still aching from the birthing process. My arms cradled his body close to mine, tears beginning to pool in my eyes. I couldn't believe that I had created this little being. He's mine. My boy, he's mine._

_Jubilant shouts interrupted the serene moment we had been sharing. Annoyed, I looked up and out the window._

_A crowd of people were running up and down the road, their voices carrying across the wide open expanses of land. My smile grew wider when I caught what they were saying. I looked down at my son once more, pulling him even closer to me. Their words fell from my lips._

_"The world turned upside down."_

_"The world turned upside down..."_

_Evelyn burst into the room, her face light with happiness and pride. She beamed up at me, Jasmine and my sisters right behind her._

_"We won.""_

**_FOUR._ **

_""On Tuesday, the twenty-seventh, Lieutenant Colonel **Perseus Isles** was **killed** in a gunfight against British troops in South Carolina. These troops had not yet received word from Yorktown that the war was over...""_

**_FIVE._ **

_"I brought the kids to see you, they've been asking for awhile," My gaze met Colonials, "Colonial, sir. It's been so long...how are your sons?"_

_He looked to the ground. "As a matter of fact, my youngest has taken ill."_

_I frowned. "I'm not surprised, with this chill. My daughter has caught it as well...send him our regards."_

_He met my gaze, a small smile crossing his lips. "I will."_

_"And how's your eldest?"_

_Colonial grinned. "He's my pride and joy. Studying French and Latin."_

_France smiled a toothy smile, a blush forming over his chubby cheeks. "So am I!"_

_"He's the same age as your boy-"_

_Evelyn pulled France into her arms, glowering up at Colonial. "Yeah, well one day he'll run this town!"_

_I chuckled nervously. "We must be going, Colonial. Send your boys our love!"_

**_SIX._ **

_"Look at where we are, look at where we started...I know I don't deserve you, Tournes-but hear me out, that would be enough," Tears cascaded down his cheeks, "If I could spare her life, if I could trade her life for mine she'd be standing here right now. You would smile...and that would be enough..."  
_

_"I don't pretend to know the challenges we're facing...I know there's no replacing what we've lost, and you need time," He paused for a moment, taking a breath, "But I'm not afraid, I know who I married. Just let me stay here by your side...that would be enough."_

_If you see him in the street, walking by her side, talking by her side, have pity._

_"Empire, do you like it uptown, it's quiet uptown..."_

**_SEVEN._ **

_A drew in a shaky breath, my voice quiet as I recited the words that meant so much to us. "But I'm not afraid, I know who I married. Just let me stay here by your side...that would be enough..."_

_Things would never be the same between us. With one last glance his way, I left Empire alone in the study, my mind reeling from the emotional stress I had just been put under. My footsteps echoed through the empty hall, the noise bouncing around the rafters and throughout the house. It was only when I entered the gardens that I collapsed into a fit of tears, heavy sobs racking my body._

_The rest of my life was just ripped to shreds. The future was now unknown to us. I didn't think that I could continue on._

**_EIGHT._ **

_My grin widened, gesturing toward the thick layers of papers sitting on the table. "Colonial America had a torrid affair, and he wrote it down right there-"_

_Sunfay burst into the room, a nation I hadn't seen in forever rushing in after her. In her hands was the pamphlet, her eyes wildly scanning the words. She stopped right in front of us. Evelyn cast me a worried look, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked older than I remembered._

_"The charge against me is in connection with one **Belgium** , for purposes of improper speculation. my real crime is an amorous connection with his wife, to whom of which I produced a bastard daughter. This happened for a considerable time, with his **KNOWING CONSENT!** "_

_"Damn..." I muttered, my gaze snapping to meet France's. His eyes were widened in surprise, his breakfast long forgotten as he took the papers from his aunt's hands. He began to read the next part aloud to us, blocking out the sound of the front door slamming open._

_"I had frequent meetings with her, most of them at my own house."_

_Evelyn's eyes hardened. "At his own house!"_

_"Mrs. Jasmine America with our children being absent on a visit to her father."_

_"No..." I breathed, my chest filling with dread. Even if I detested Colonial with a burning passion, Jasmine didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this._

**_NINE-_ **

_"Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf..." They whispered together, Perseus' eyes closing toward the end. Tournesol squeezed his hand reassuringly. The doctor had to leave the tent._

_"Good! Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf..."_

_Her face went blank. Perseus didn't respond, laying still as a stone. France started to weep into his hands, having to walk out of the tent as to not take in the scene anymore. Colonial felt as if his heart had shattered into a billion pieces. How was he going to explain this to Fredonia?_

_"Sept, huit, neuf..." Tournesol tried again, squeezing his hand a little tighter._

_"Sept, huit..."_

Colonial aimed for the spot next to her, squeezing his eyes shut. Suddenly, without warning, Tournesol jumps in the space, a fleeting smile painted across her lips. The bullet is shot from the barrel. She aims her pistol toward the sky, looking into my eyes one last time.

**_"WAIT!"_ **

𐐒𐐚


	26. ⇢ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘰𝘯𝘦

𐐒𐐚

** NEW YORK CITY, 1800  **

_She aimed her pistol at the sky-_

**"WAIT!"** I screamed, watching in horror as my sister fell to the ground in a stiff heap. A wail left my lips as I dashed forward, my heart pounding in my ears. The doctor was at her side in an instant, his fingers pressed to her wrist as he desperately tried to find a pulse. I sobbed into her hair as I held her in my shaking arms, pleading that this was all a dream. This had to be a dream. This must be a dream. It can't be real.

I cradled my sister close. My older sister, who was supposed to protect me in every way. She was supposed to be there for me for the rest of my life. Tournesol wasn't meant to die.

Brye approached with tears clouding his eyes, slumping down next to me with a choked sob. I looked up to meet his gaze, my bottom lip trembling. He cradled his arms around my shaking body, his tears staining the fabric of my dress. Tournesol remained still.

Colonial stood behind us still, his face a pale sheet. His hands shook like a leaf as he looked down at her unmoving body, tears sliding down his face. The pistol in his hands fell to the ground with a thud as he sprinted forward, his mind finally processing what had happened. He kneeled next to her, feverishly pushing her hair to the side.

"G-Get up, S-Sunshine...t-this isn't f-funny!"

My heart ached for him as he started shaking her shoulders, desperate to wake her from her eternal slumber. The doctor quickly ushered him away, a flock of people appearing in front of us. They carefully lifted Tournesol from my arms, carrying her down to the river and into the little boat we previously crossed in. I held on tightly to her cold hand, begging silently for her to wake up. Things weren't supposed to end this way. I pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, climbing into the boat right after her. 

Her eyes peered open as we crossed the river, my grip on her hands tightening. Tears washed down her cheeks, her lips pulled into a slim smile. Her voice was raspy as she spoke.

_"I may not live to see our glory...but I will gladly join the fight..."_

Another wave of emotion wracked my body. Tournesol breathed a stuttering sigh before continuing.

 _"And when our children tell our story,"_ She smiled softer, _"They'll tell the story of tonight..."_

We docked soon after she faded back out of consciousness, a crowd already gathered at the riverbanks. Tournesol was hauled out of the dinky little boat and into the arms of Brye, who had stepped out onto the dock just before. A carriage waited nearby, the door thrown open by the doctor's apprentice. My sister was hauled inside, laid delicately against the leather seats. I crawled in to sit beside her.

I looked to the crowds of people, instantly locking eyes with Jasmine and Evelyn. They looked sick with fear as they pushed through the throngs of people. I felt another wave of emotion rush across my cheeks as I heard a wail erupt from Jasmine's body, her eyes spewing with fresh salty tears.

The two sisters climbed into the cabin after me. Evelyn hugged me close, slamming the side of the carriage to signal for the driver to start speeding down the street. Jasmine cradled Tournesol's pale face in her hands, a whimper escaping her lips.

"W-What happened?! Who did this?!"

I choked with another sob, wiping my eyes with my sleeve. Her breathing was growing lighter and more sporadic by the second, and I knew that at any time she would slip away.

"She challenged Colonial to a duel. He didn't want to go through with it-none of us wanted to go through with it. H-He tried to aim away from her, b-but s-she jumped in front of the b-b-bullet a-a-and-"

Evelyn shielded my face away from Tournesol. Jasmine's face contorted into one of hurt and grief as she collapsed onto the leather seat, bawling loudly.

Our lives would never be the same...

_**"Death doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints."** _

**_Tournesol Del Empire_ **

**_November, 1758 - December, 1800_ **

𐐒𐐚


	27. 𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚

𐐒𐐚

** PRESENT DAY; 2020  **

The reception hall dazzled in the setting sunlight, everyone too busy dancing and celebrating to notice that we had left our seats at the head of the table. We hoped that it would stay that way.

Germany and I strolled through the gardens that surrounded the venue, nostalgia flooding my senses with every step I took. Memories of my sister's own wedding flooded my mind. I pushed them away for the sake of keeping the mood of today light. 

I smiled lovingly as we sat down on a stone carved bench beneath the weeping willow, the clouds swimming lazily in the sky above us. Resting my head against America's shoulder, I closed my eyes. This was my life now. This was my forever. I was excited.

"I may not live to see our glory!"

**_"I may not live to see our glory!"_ **

My heart stopped. I turned to see the silhouettes of France and Russia pop into view, stumbling over a stray branch. Germany chuckled from beside me, rising to his feet. He offered me his hand with a wink, pulling me to into a standing position. I pressed myself into his side with a small smile.

"Raise a glass to freedom, something you will never see again!"

**_"Raise a glass to freedom, something you will never see again!"_ **

France laughed, thrusting a sloshing cup of alcohol into the air. I crossed my arms with a 'tch', looking at him pointedly. My nephew quickly handed it over to Russia, smiling sheepishly. The taller nation chuckled, walking forward.

"No matter what she tells you!"

**_"No matter what she tells you!"  
_ **

He slung an arm around Germany's shoulder, nudging his cheek with the side of his cup. The younger of the two pushed him away, sticking his tongue out at him. I stifled a laugh. They still acted like children, even if they were full grown countries of the world.

_**"Let's have another round tonight!"** _

A gasp caught itself in my throat as I whirled around, my heart skipping a beat. Ger shot me a worried glance.

"Is everything alright, liebling?" 

I blinked; I could have sworn that I heard my brother's voice. Shaking my head, I nodded. 

"Yeah. I just thought that I heard something..."

France patted my shoulder, a small grin across his cheeks. He slipped his hand into mine, leading me away from the quarreling friends that stood behind us. We traversed deeper into the plants that surrounded us.

**_"I came to say congratulations."_ **

We came to a stop in front of a weeping willow tree, it's branches nearly touching the ground below. We stood underneath it's canopy for a moment, the breeze running it's slim fingers through our tousled hair.

"Maman would've been so proud of you, Tante." He smiled, hugging his arm around my shoulder. I rested my head against his.

"Your mother would have demanded that we celebrate this occasion like it was the end of the world. It wouldn't matter what I said, she would come up with something to solve the situation." France snorted, shaking his head.

"She was very décisif growing up. I can remember when she had to track down tante Evelyn to stop her from murdering Colonial America."

**_"Now be sensible. From what I hear, you've made yourself indispensable."  
_ **

I smiled wistfully at the memory. "Tournes would've loved to see you all grown up, making your nation a better place with every passing day..."

France beamed. "You really mean that?"

"Of course, darling. I haven't seen your economy shine quite like I do now."

He pulled us farther underneath the tree branches, leading me to the base of the tree. His eyes sparkled as he scanned the surface, brightening even more when he landed on what he was looking for. Without another word, he pushed my hands to the spot he was staring at.

**_"Congrats again, little sister. Smile more."_ **

My eyes widened when my gaze locked on the names carved deep into the bark, their voices a harmony in my head. My fingertips tingled when they brushed against the words, millions of moments locked deep in my mind sewing together in one big heap. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I pushed them back with a watery laugh. I turned to pull France into a heartfelt embrace.

"Thank you, so much. You don't know how much this means to me..."

France chuckled, wrapping his arms around my figure. "I knew you'd like this."

Suddenly reminded by the names engraved, I pulled away from his arms. "I have something I think you should have."

I dug around in the messenger bag that hung around my frame, stopping when my hands landed on the journal. The journal my sister wrote in for years, every thought and feeling, every moment, every emotion. Was I ready to let go?

**_The sky was a calming shade of indigo by the time we arrived on the porch of our manor, the windows open wide in an attempt to cool down the home. Brye tipped his hat in a silent goodbye, pressing a chaste kiss onto the back of Sapphire's hand. Sunfay glared at his retreating figure, earning a silent chuckle from Perseus._ **

**_French Empire and Colonial bid us goodbye soon after, dashing off to walk with Brye back a block or so to their own humble abodes. After composing herself, Sunfay turned to face me._ **

**_"Let's get you two inside and washed up for bed. We've got errands to run in the morning." She clapped her hands together with a pleasant smile, allowing the chance for Perseus to open the door for us. Sapphire pouted her bottom lip in protest to her words._ **

**_"Aw, c'mon Sunny! I wanted to go and hang around the creek tomorrow with Tournes and Pers!"_ **

**_We walked through the doorway into the stuffy atmosphere of our home, the temperature just as warm as it was earlier that day. Perseus wiped at his brow. "The boys and I have plans early in the morn', Sapphire. Maybe when you get back from town?"_ **

**_Sunfay knitted her brow, her hands immediately at her hips. "What kind of plans? Nothing dangerous like last time, right Perseus Isles?"_ **

**_Our brother shrugged out of his overcoat, wiping at a stray stain before hanging it on the stair banister. His gaze was glued to the ground. "We're attending a very private meetin', nothing that concerns you."_ **

**_She huffed, throwing her hands into the air. "Father's gonna murder you in cold blood, Pers! You know he doesn't want you at any underground meetings that could get you in trouble."_ **

**_"This is for the sake of the colonies, Sunny!" He snapped back, his hands balled into fists. Sunfay flinched at his raised voice, taking a tiny step back. Perseus continued._ **

**_"Don't you think I know how dangerous this is?! I could be killed for this, Sunfay! But everyone deserves freedom. You would know that better than anyone else!"_ **

**_The air was hot and stuffy in Congress Hall, the fleeting summer's air clinging to the remaining shards of light that filtered through the windows. I fanned myself tirelessly, my face flushed from the heat that was encased in the room. Sweat dampened my forehead, glistening in the candlelight that surrounded us. When was this debate going to begin?_ **

**_Finally, the door flew open to reveal my sister and Colonial. Sunfay walked in with her head held up high, a smirk upturning her lips. Colonial looked annoyed._ **

**_Father stood at the centre of the room, his arms crossed over his chest as the two took their seats. Then he spoke._ **

**_"Ladies and gentlemen, you could've been anywhere else in the world tonight, but you're with us here in Philadelphia! Are you ready for a cabinet meeting?" Cheers erupted from around me. I smiled, "The issue on the table: Secretary America plans to assume state debt and establish a national bank. Secretary Isles, you have the floor."_ **

**_Sunfay cleared her throat with the wave of a hand, smoothing down the front of her skirts before speaking:_ **

**_"When we were on death's door, when we were needy; we made a promise, we signed a treaty. We needed money and guns and half a chance. Uh, who provided those funds?"  
  
_ **

**_She looked pointedly toward Colonial. He puffed his cheeks glumly. "France."_ **

**_Murmurs weaved through the crowd. A small smile graced my lips as I fanned myself with the wave of my gloved hand. Sunfay smirked at his response, gesturing that she was continuing._ **

**_"In return, he didn't ask for land. Only a promise that we'd lend a hand, and stand with them if they fought against oppressors. Revolution is messy, but now is our time to stand! Stand with our brothers as they fight against tyranny!" Jubilant cries erupted from the back of the room. Sunfay caught Colonial's eyes, her own burning gaze piercing through his._ **

**_"I know that Colonial America is here and he would rather not have this debate, but I'll remind you that he is NOT Secretary of State!" Colonial stood from his seat in a fury, seething at her words. Sunfay grinned mockingly in his direction. "He knows nothing of loyalty. Smells like new money, dresses like fake royalty. Desperate to rise above his station, everything he does betrays the ideals of our nation!"_ **

**_My father tried to shush the crowd, softly chuckling as Sunfay took a dramatic bow. His eyes were hard when she turned to face him once more. This didn't seem to phase her._ **

**_Snow fell gently to the ground, crunching softly under my quick footsteps. Sunfay was standing just ahead of me, her arms crossed across her chest. Her shoulders shivered in the frigid temperatures, her cheeks a flushed shade of red. A relieved smile danced across her lips when she finally spotted me, a relieved sigh fogging the air in front of her face._ **

**_"Finally! Hurry up, it's cold out here Tournes. The boys are already waiting inside."_ **

**_I rolled my eyes, grabbing her arm as I rushed into the warmth of the meeting hall. After Empire returned to his lands, Sunfay had helped with raising Perseus and France. Her own husband Cygnus had gone with my husband, since he was a city of his. The bruises that littered her body had begun to fade since his departure._ **

**_"So what happened?" I inquired, my eyes lighting up when Perseus ran into my arms. Sunfay shrugged her shoulders, playfully nudging France away when he tried to bop the top of her head._ **

**_"We haven't heard anything much, but I can tell you that this election might be postponed. We still have to find a replacement for your dumbass of a husband."_ **

**_A frown pursed at my lips. France cleared his throat after a stiff moment of silence, adjusting the buttons on his coat. A crooked grin was twisted at his lips, his eyes sparkling with happiness. He looked so much like his father._ **

**_"Sunny said that we could join you in the meeting room, as long as we lay low and be quiet. Do you think that Colonial would let me run for father's spot?"_ **

**_Sunfay rested a gentle hand on his shoulder, a small smile on her face. "That's a bit of a sore subject for your mother, France. We'll talk after this, alright?"_ **

**_He nodded his head, taking Perseus by the arm and tugging him into the adjoining area. Sunfay looped her arm through mine after they left, shooting me a consoling look before following in suit. I could only muster a pitiful smile as we walked through the door._ **

**_Sunfay burst into the room, a nation I hadn't seen in forever rushing in after her. In her hands was the pamphlet, her eyes wildly scanning the words. She stopped right in front of us. Evelyn cast me a worried look, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked older than I remembered._ **

**_"The charge against me is in connection with one Belgium, for purposes of improper speculation. my real crime is an amorous connection with his wife, to whom of which I produced a bastard daughter. This happened for a considerable time, with his KNOWING CONSENT!"_ **

**_"Damn..." I muttered, my gaze snapping to meet France's. His eyes were widened in surprise, his breakfast long forgotten as he took the papers from his aunt's hands. He began to read the next part aloud to us, blocking out the sound of the front door slamming open._ **

**_"I had frequent meetings with her, most of them at my own house."_ **

**_Evelyn's eyes hardened. "At his own house!"_ **

**_"Mrs. Jasmine America with our children being absent on a visit to her father."_ **

**_"No..." I breathed, my chest filling with dread. Even if I detested Colonial with a burning passion, Jasmine didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this._ **

**_"HAVE YOU READ THIS?!" A voice boomed, the figure of Brye Republic sprinting into the room. His eyes were ablaze with fury, the pamphlet gripped in his fists. He threw it down onto the floor in anger, instantly captivating everyone's attention. Sunfay's eyes softened when she met his, her hand reaching out to rest on his arms. This seemed to catch him off guard; Sunfay had become a lot more quiet and submissive since meeting Cygnus. I cleared my throat._ **

**_"Well he's never gon' be president now."_ **

**_"That's one less thing to worry about I suppose..." Sunfay breathed, tossing the papers onto the table._ **

I've lived my own adventure, and I'd always have the memories deep in my heart. I pulled the leather-bound journal out of my bag, carefully placing it in his hands. We locked gazes, a pleasant smile gracing my lips.

Pressing a kiss to his temple, I patted his hands before walking away to rejoin my husband.

" _ **That will be enough...** "_

𐐒𐐚

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	28. 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 + 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙨

𐐒𐐚

**I use a planner every time I start writing. It's a great organizer if you're like me and cannot remember things no matter how hard you try! (Sneaky name reveal^^)**

**'Non-Stop' is solely based off of the musical 'Hamilton' by Lin Manuel Miranda, with a bit of my own spunk added in between. I didn't include every song for the same of plot convenience, but also because Tournesol is a concept character -meaning that she was half-baked when I started publishing chapters about her life.**

**Originally, Tournesol was the capital of Sunfay's nation; they I had the grand idea of creating a family for them, and it spiraled out of control from there. In fact, this book was originally based upon Sunfay's life (before I realized that Germany wasn't a big boy thing yet), but I decided to make it about her sister simply because she didn't have a fluid backstory to go by.**

**I had written with Sunfay since I entered this fandom (only a couple of those published), and I felt that I needed to expand my horizons. I already created this family for her, why not use the characters and develop them into dynamic individuals instead of keeping them off to the side as a sidekick? Hence why some chapters are told from a different point of view, even though the book 'Non-Stop' was entries from Tournesol's diary.**

**Did anyone remember that in the end?**

**The entire story is a hand full of entries from Tournesol's journal that America had found at the beginning of the book. It isn't said exactly what happens at the end, since the prologue is America finding the diary and the epilogue jumps to Sunfay marrying Germany. Let me fill in the blanks:**

**After reading the diary, America connected the dots and realized who Sunfay was-now known as Sunny (you will learn why after reading 'Meant to Be'). He meets up with her and gives her the journal. This bit is symbolic; Colonial America took Tournesol away from Sunfay. United States of America is giving her back.**

**A few months after receiving the diary, Sunfay decides that Tournesol's last remaining child (France) should have the journal instead of her. Her reasoning being that she "has lived her own adventure", meaning that she has had most of her life to get to know her sister. She still has all those memories written on paper in her mind. France didn't have that. So she gives him the journal with one final saying: "This will be enough."**

**Another symbolic moment! Throughout the first and second acts, Tournesol and French Empire would tell each other that things would be enough, meaning that the situation happening was enough for them and they could still continue on.**

**I would like to personally thank one of my friends,[local-melophile](https://www.wattpad.com/user/local-melophile) !!**

**They have read every single chapter of this book, commented on about every pivotal moment with the funniest remarks I have ever seen. It certainly lightens the mood when I'm in tears over having to kill off another character....**

**Speaking of killing off characters- I'M SORRY.**

**TOURNES NEEDED SOMETHING TO DEVELOP HER CHARACTER. THEY WEREN'T ESSENTIAL TO THE P L O T. IT'S FINE.**

**( I am thinking about bringing a f e w of them back for a Q &A when I gain more reads!)**

**Back the to what we were talking about-**

**'Non-Stop' originally started out as a few other books-notably a cringe book dubbed 'With Love, Tournesol' that I had written on my old account (you can't find this anymore, as I have removed it!). 'With Love, Tournesol' had the same concept as 'Non-Stop', many of the events and characters carried over to the newer version.**

**_( Now with that out of the way, enjoy a few failed works, forgotten fanfictions, & scrapped chapters )_ **

[ _**The Original Version of Chapter Ten ( non-stop )** _]

_"Un deux trois quatre cinq six sept huit neuf."_

_"Good! Un deux trois quatre cinq six sept huit neuf."_

_"Sept huit neuf-"_

_"Sept huit neuf-"_

_"One two three four five six seven eight nine!" Perseus cheered, clinking his fingers against the piano keys. I tickled his sides with a prideful smile, laughing as he tried to wiggle away. His mouth was carved into a crooked smile, showing off the gap between his two front teeth. My heart felt a pang of grief every time he smiled; he reminded me so much of my brother._

_I looked across the room to Wintersol, who was focusing her attention on the sewing needle in her hands. Her eyes were squinted nearly shut as she methodically strung the thread through the material on her lap. I frowned a bit. Her vision had become worse ever since she contracted the fever all those years ago. She still hadn't fully recovered._

_Perseus tugged on my sleeve, catching my gaze. "Can I show pa how well I can play?"_

_A smile tugged at my lips. I nodded, standing from the piano bench. "I'll go get your father from his office; why don't you keep on practicing? Winter loves it when you play for her..."_

_Perseus beamed, turning to continue on with his playing, Wintersol paying him no mind. I left the room and headed up stairs, smoothing down a few stray hairs before opening the door to Empire's office._

_The room was dark, save for a burning candle that was almost out of wax. Books and papers were scattered everywhere, along with a dozen or so speckle feather quills. I heaved a sigh, briefly catching my husband's attention. He looked up for a moment before returning to the paper in his hold. I frowned, stepping forward to stand in front of him._

_"Take a break?"_

_"I am on my way..." He muttered, his eyes scanning the document in his hands._

_"There's a little surprise before supper and it cannot wait."_

_"I'll be there in a minute, save my plate-"_

_"Empire!" I pursed my lips. He finally set his papers aside, standing from his seat in surrender._

_"Okay, okay."_

_I grabbed his arm, tugging him out of the stuffy room and down the stairs. We reached the sitting room in only a moment's time, a smile gracing my lips when I saw that France had joined Perseus on the piano. Today was Wintersol and Pers' birthday, and I hadn't expected for my father to let France out this early to celebrate. He returned my look with a grin, standing to greet his father._

_"Your son and daughter are nine years old today, Perseus has something he'd like to say. He's been practicing all day...Pers, take it away-"_

_Perseus looked toward Empire, his slender fingers instantly starting to play a tune on the piano._

_"Daddy, daddy, look-My name is Perseus, I am a poet. I wrote this poem just to show it, and I just turned nine. You can write rhymes, but you can't write mine!"_

_"What!" Empire laughed, motioning for Perseus to continue. His eyes flashed with pride._

_"I practice French and play piano with my mother!"_

_"Uh-huh!" I smiled, briefly glancing over to where Wintersol was seated. She didn't look up from her needlework._

_"I have two siblings, but I want a couple 'nother!"_

_"Okay!" Empire and I shared a look, my cheeks flushing. He winked._

_"My daddy's trying to start America's bank! Un deux trois quatre cinq!"_

_"BRAVO!" Hw pulled him into his arms, peppering kisses all over his face. My heart softened at the sight, my hands reaching to rest on Empire's shoulders._

_"Run away with us for the summer, let's go upstate! We can all go stay with my father. There's a lake I know in a nearby park, you and I can go when the night gets dark..."_

_Empire met my gaze, a soft smile at his lips. "I will try to get away..."_

_I beamed up at him, throwing my arms around his neck. We hadn't taken a holiday as a family since France was born, and I was excited to share this experience with Perseus and Wintersol._

[ _A Short Concept Chapter For a Forgotten Fanfiction_ ]

_The soft rhythm of the piano rang throughout the stuffy room, reaching Jasmine's ears as a gentle melody._

_She lovingly smiled down at the infant province in her arms, slowly rocking her back and forth. Her throat vibrated with the humming of a lullaby, her soft hands stroking her daughter's dark hair as she slept. Her eyes flickered to the tightly sealed window that stood in the northern front of the room, watching the raindrops run down the glass. "Fleur, would you be a dear and turn down the fire? I'm going to go put Espere down in her crib."_

_The teenage province kindly nodded, daintily smoothing down the front of her dress and doing as her mother asked. Jasmine carefully stood from her chair, cradling the sleeping girl close as she left the room, padding down the dim hall and climbing up the stairs._

_Espere's room was painted a soft pink, her extravagant white crib standing beside the bay window. Her curtains were adorned with shades of cream and gold, tied together by a strand of pearls. Jasmine padded over, gently setting her daughter down and pulling the knitted white blanket up to her chin. The infant snuggled closer to her mother's retreating hand, a soft whine escaping her lips as she scooted around._

_Jasmine brushed her fingertips across Espere's rosy cheeks, soothing the girl instantly. The pale country grinned; that was a trick she learned when the twins refused to sleep as babies._

_She quietly crept out of the room, turning down the lights as she softly closed the door. She let out a sigh as she massaged her temples, smiling a bit when the ginger melody of the piano floated up the steps. Smoothing down the front of her lilac blouse, Jasmine padded down the stairs toward the kitchen._

_Her eyes drooped in exhaustion as she entered the hallway, her body subconsciously leaning against the eggshell walls for support. Maybe staying up 'till three in the morning doing paperwork wasn't a great idea, especially for someone who had four kids to take care of. She rubbed her tired eyes, standing up rigid as she shook away the feeling. A cup of coffee, that's what she needed._

_Jasmine wasn't too fond of the caffeinated drink, but it was one of the only things that kept her sane during those harsh months of endless laws and treaties. It was outrageous how many documents she had to go through on a daily basis, sometimes not leaving her office for days and causing her eldest two to worry._

_She filled the coffee pot with water, pouring it into the machine and clicking the power button. Leaning against the granite counter, her mind wandered back to the topic of her nation. Everything was fine, right?_

**_Of course, it is, why wouldn't it be? Stop stressing out about it, Jas. You're doing a great job._ **

_Jasmine rolled her eyes as the voice of her twin filled her mind. "Oh, look who decided to finally show up. I was worried for a second that you wouldn't come back."_

_Evelyn materialized in front of her, glaring at her younger sister. "I had things I had to take care of. I'm not here to cater to you, dumbass."_

_The pale country scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Of course, that's where she was. Sunfay was a pushover, so she would obviously allow for Jasmine's ghostly capital crash in her borders. "How was Sunfay's place? See anything interesting?"_

_Evelyn shrugged her shoulders, fidgeting with her fingers as she looked around her. "Nothing to really concern you. Sunfay did have Germany over again." A sly smirk played at her lips as she spoke._

_Jasmine's eyes flashed with confusion as her twin spoke, her brow knitting. "But didn't she already-"_

_"Oh yeahhh, but that hasn't changed anything. Face it, Jas. It's the new world, we've all been reborn and revived into new beings. The countries that were our children have never heard of us nor the people we were married to. It's almost as if we were thrown into a different dimension."_

[ _The First Icky Chapter to 'With Love, Tournesol'_ ]

**_1776, New York City:_ **

_"Pardon me. Are you Tournesol, ma'am?"_

_I adjusted the book I was carrying under my arm, turning to face the man behind me. My eyes widened in surprise when I realized that he was a country like me, though for the life of me I couldn't put my finger on it. "That depends, who's asking?"_

_He stuttered over his words for a moment as he scratched the back of his neck, his face tinting a shade of rose. "Oh, well, sure ma'am. I'm Colonial America, I'm at your service, ma'am. I have been looking for you."_

_I chuckled lightly to myself, my gaze flickering to the hoards of people that swarmed around us. "I'm getting nervous."_

_The crowds bustled to and fro, filtering through the square as he grabbed my forearm. That caught my attention entirely. "Ma'am...I heard your name at Princeton. I was seeking an accelerated course of study when I got out of sorts with a buddy of yours. I may have punched him, it's a blur, ma'am. He handles financials?"_

_I stared at him incredulously. "You punched the bursar?"_

_He snapped his fingers, his eyes shining. "Yes!" Grabbing my hands, he met my gaze with a ecstatic look. I offered him an amused smile. "I wanted to do what you did. Graduate in two, then join the revolution! He looked at me like I was stupid, I'm not stupid."_

_He let his hands fall to his side as his gaze lowered to the ground. His voice was soft as cotton as he spoke, barely audible over the loud hum of the people around us. "So how'd you do it? How'd you graduate so fast?"_

_Memories of my mother crossed my mind. The waving fields of wheat as the golden sun melted over us, the warmth of a summer's breeze blowing through our hair. I calmly shook my head, fidgeting with a button on my sleeve. "It was my mother's dying wish before she passed."_

_His face brightened, his hands grabbing mine once more. "You're mother died. Of course! Mine passed away too."_

_I shook my head with a gentle smile, gesturing for the loud nation to go on. He swung his arm around my shoulder with glee, leading us away from the awning we were previously standing under to a dimly lit pub to our right. A crooked grin fluttered across his lips. "God, I wish there was a war! Then we could prove that we're worth more than anyone bargained for..."_

_"Can I buy you a drink?"_

_His face flushed pink. I smirked teasingly. "That would be nice."_

_We moved through the drunken crowd toward the bar, the book under my arm growing heavy. I tucked it into the messenger bag that was slung across my body. "While we're walking, let me offer you some advice."_

_He moved closer as we came to a stop in front of the bar. I leaned back against the wooden countertop, our gazes locking. My words were light as I spoke. "Talk less."_

_"What?"_

_He looked confused as I continued. "Smile more."_

_He rolled his eyes with a sardonic laugh, resting his elbows on the counter as the tender came to take our orders. I tipped my beret in his direction, holding up two fingers with a lighthearted smile. The bartender nodded as he walked off to make our drinks, my attention returning to the nation beside me. "Don't let them know what you're against or what you're for."_

_I winked at him as I was handed my glass. "You can't be serious."_

_I downed the entire thing, slamming it back down onto the counter. Wiping my mouth with the side of my sleeve, I pointed a lazy finger into his chest. "You wanna get ahead?"_

_He fidgeted with his own glass of alcohol, running his fingers over the brim. "Yeah?"_

_He took a small sip from of bourbon, wincing as the liquid rushed down his throat. I rolled my eyes, offering him a disdainful look. "Fools who run their mouth wind up dead."_

_Across the room, a rag-tag group I was familiar with started up their yelling again. The smoke filled room seemed to filter to the side as the ringleader stood up from his seat, more commonly known as my brother Perseus. In his hand was a metal mug, alcohol sloshing onto the floor as he clumsily jumped onto his chair._

_"Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo! What time is it?"_

_"Show time!"_

_I gestured their way, a mocking grin peeking at the corners of my lips. "...like I said..." Colonial America watched with fascination as the other two started rhythmically pounding their fists on the tabletop, starting up a beat for my not-so-humble brother._

_"Show time! Show time! Yo!" He climbed up onto the table, stumbling back a bit as he did so. I facepalmed as he raised his glass in the air. "I'm Perseus 'rom the Isles, in the place to be! Two pints o' Sam Adams, but I'm workin' on three, uh!"_

_He landed on his feet as he hopped from his perch, slamming his mug onto the table. "Those redcoats don't want it with me! 'Cause I will pop chick-a pop these cops 'til I'm free!"_

_I turned to continued my conversation with the country next to me, but was surprised to find that he had disappeared from his seat, his drink left half-empty. "Oui, oui, mon ami, je m'appelle French Empire! The Lancelot of the revolutionary set! I came from afar just to say 'Bonsoir', tell the King 'Casse toi'! Who's the best?"_

_French Empire jutted a thumb at himself. "C'est moi."_

_I sighed as I walked toward their table, watching as another one of my brother's friends stood from his seat._

_"Brrrah brraaah! I am Brye 'across the ocean', up in it, lovin' it, yes I heard ya mother said 'Come Again?'"_

_Both me and Perseus cringed a bit when he said that, but Brye took no notice as he continued. "Lock up ya daughters and your horses, of course it's hard to have intercourse over four sets of corsets-"_

_Perseus pushed him down into his chair with a laugh, his cheeks flushed pink. "No more sex, pour me another brew, son! Let's raise a couple more..."_

_I raised my glass in the air as I approached their table, joining in with them.  
"To the revolution!"_

_Perseus grinned benevolently as he looked up, slinging his arm around my shoulder. Despite our year age difference, he still towered over me like a tree. His eyes glittered in the candlelight as he pushed back a lock of curly blonde hair, his freckles becoming prominent as he spoke. "Well, if it ain't the prodigy of Princeton College!"_

_"Tournesol!"_

_French Empire smiled dreamily as he rested his chin in his open palm. My face flushed rose as my brother nudged my shoulder with his, breaking our eye contact. "Give us a verse, drop some knowledge."_

_I grabbed up a shot glass from the littered tabletop, downing the burning whiskey within it. Tossing it carelessly back down, I smirked up at him. "Good luck with that: you're takin' a stand. You spit, I'm 'a sit. We'll see where we land!"_

_"Booooo!"_

_Brye teasingly rolled his eyes, pulling me down by the arm to sit next to him. He ruffled my hair as my brother stood in front of me, a frown nudging at him chapped lips. "Tournes, the revolution's imminent. What do you stall for?"_

_"If you stand for nothing Tournesol, what do you fall for?"_

_I turned my head to see Colonial America standing near us, a simper of a smile stitched onto his striped face. He smoothly strode forward, his eyes flashing with excitement. Perseus and the boys eyed him with wonder, smirks crossing their faces._

_"Who are you?"_

_"Who are you?"  
_

_"Who are you?"_

_"Who is this kid, what's he gonna do?"_

_The striped nation hopped onto a wooden bench, loudly stomping as he spoke. "I am not throwing away my shot, not throwing away my shot! Hey yo, I'm just like my country. I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, and I'm not throwing away my shot!"_

_The boys cheered beside me as they clambered from their seats to join him, leaving me to watch with a blank look in my eyes. A flutter of pride erupted in my chest as I watched them laugh and jubilantly danced about, unknowingly allowing a prideful smile wash across my glossy lips._

_"A colony that runs independently?! Meanwhile, Britain keeps shittin' on us endlessly. Essentially, they tax you relentlessly, then Kind Britain turns around, runs a spending spree! He ain't ever gonna set his descendants free, so there will be a revolution in this century!"_

_I gracefully floated from my place, meeting Colonial's passionate gaze. He bent down to grab my hand, his fingers calloused against my own. He yanked me up to stand next to him, causing me to loose my balance as I stumbled into his chest. My hands clenched my voluminous skirt as my orbs swept across the crowded room, widening at all the cheers and supporters that had gathered._

_The nation beside me rested his hands on my waist, a sweet look in his blank eyes as he gestured for me to speak. I took a deep breath, my own orbs probably shining with fear as I feebly spoke, my words growing stronger with every syllable. "Don't be shocked when your hist'ry book mentions me! I will lay down my life if it sets you free! Eventually, you'll see my ascendancy."_

_Colonial grinned as he jumped down onto the floor, pulling me down with him as he twirled me around. I laughed joyously as I was spun through the air, the room around me a candlelit blur before I was once again at his side. "I'm not throwing away my shot, not throwing away my shot. Hey yo, I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy, and hungry, and I'm not throwing away my shot. It's time to take a shot!"_

_We shouted together, his arm around my shoulders. French Empire slammed back a shot of whiskey in the spur of the moment, winking at me before speaking. "I dream of a life without a monarchy. The unrest in France with lead to 'onarchy?' 'Onarchy'? How you say, how you say....anarchy. When I fight, I make the other side panicky. With my-"_

_"Shot!"_

_"Yo, I'm a tailor's apprentice, and I got y'all knuckleheads in loco parentis. I'm joining the rebellion 'cause I know it's my chance to socially advance, instead of sewin' some pants! I'm gonna take a-"_

_"Shot!"_

_"But we'll never be truly free until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me, you and I. Do or die. Wait till I sally in on a stallion with the first black battalion have another-"_

_"Shot!"_

_I sat back down into my seat, composing myself as the boys wildly moved around me. The fire that had just before inhabited me had died down as soon as it had arrived, but the burning embers were still brewing deep in my heart. It was only a matter of time before they once again erupted into flames._

_Rolling my eyes, I nodded toward the British officers that had just appeared at the doorway, their cold gazes surveying the room. "Geniuses, lower your voices. You keep out of trouble and you double your choices. I'm with you, but the situation is fraught. You've got to be carefully taught; if you talk, you're gonna get shot!"_

_They stopped their feverish partying, an unknown emotion splashing over their faces. Perseus hopped into the seat to my left, French Empire to my right. Brye plopped down across from me as Colonial circled around the table, standing at the head. "Tournes, check what we got. Mister Empire, hard like Lancelot. Brye, I think your pants look hot! Perseus, I like you a lot._

_He leaned forward, his voice dropping just above a whisper. "Let's hatch a plot blacker than the kettle callin' the pot...What are the odds, the gods would put us all in one spot, poppin' a squat on conventional abolitionists? Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is!"_

_His eyes dropped to the table top as he sat down on a stool, his fingers tracing the wood. "I never had a group of friends before, I promise that I'll make y'all proud."_

_Perseus grinned as he grabbing Colonial's forearm. "Let's get this guy in front of a crowd."_

_We gathered our things before rushing out of the pub, Perseus and Colonial shooting harsh glares toward the British officers that were now watching us with frigid precision. I ducked under French Empire's outstretched arm, sharing a knowing look with him as he moved to rest it just above my waist._

_We strolled for hours, the sun now setting in the distance as Brye, Perseus, and Colonial scampered ahead of us. I laid my head on French Empire's shoulder, stifling a yawn. The cool evening air nipped at my exposed forearms as we walked along the smooth dirt road, clouds of dust breezing past us. In the distance stood my brother and I's house, it's two story build casting a shadow against the freshly trimmed lawn._

_Colonial climbed up onto the top of the wooden log fence, hopping from one pole to the next as he began to speak._

_"I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory When's it gonna get me? In my sleep? Seven feet ahead of me? If I see it comin', do I run or do I let it be? Is it like a beat without a melody? See, I never thought I'd live past twenty." He turned to help Perseus up next to him, the two of them now competing against one another to get to the house first. "Where I come from some get half as many. Ask anybody why we livin' fast and we laugh, reach for a flask, we have to make this moment last, that's plenty."_

_The striped nation paused on one pole, shaking his head before a crooked smile flushed over his lips._

_"Scratch that, this is not a moment, it's the movement where all the hungriest brothers with something to prove went? Foes oppose us, we take an honest stand, we roll like Moses, claimin' our promised land. And? If we win our independence? 'Zat a guarantee of freedom for our descendants? Or will the blood we shed begin an endless cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants? I know the action in the street is excitin', but Jesus, between all the bleedin' 'n fightin' I've been readin' 'n writin'."_

_Brye thrusted his fist into the air as they all yelled a battle cry. I shook my head as Empire and I continued down the path, letting the remaining three catch up to us after they were done. Colonial continued talking about what this land was meant to be, and how the ideals were in the wrong places._

_I sighed as we neared the driveway, my gaze flickering over to where Colonial and Perseus were fighting to get there first. "We need to handle our financial situation. Are we a nation of states? What's the state of our nation? I'm past patiently waitin'."_

_The striped country jumped down from the fence, his eyes shining with patriotism. "I'm passionately smashin' every expectation, every action's an act of creation! I'm laughin' in the face of casualties and sorrow, for the first time, I'm thinkin' past tomorrow!"_

_Perseus slipped his hands into his coat pockets as he bounded up to the door, pulling out a shining brass key. He pushed it into the keyhole, quickly turning it to the right and swinging the door open._

_"Ladies first."_

_Brye did a mock-curtsey as he flaunted into the hall, French Empire and I right behind him. Colonial seemed to hesitate for a moment, stuffing his hands into his pockets at the door. My brother shot him a confused look. "Are you comin'?"_

_The striped country pursed his lips. "Aren't you gonna send me home? It is late after all, and Tournesol looks as if she's about to collapse from exhaustion."_

_I gave him a thumbs up to say 'I'm fine', but the fact that I slumped down onto the stairs with Empire seemed to contradict my silent statement. Perseus rolled his eyes, pulling Colonial into the hall before shutting the door behind him. "Relax, she's fine. And besides, this is your home now too."_

_"Home?" The nation shot him a confused look. Brye smiled crookedly as he left the room, headed in the direction of the kitchen. My brother nodded his head, a pleasant smile gracing his lips. "There's too many damn rooms to fill with meaningless trinkets-I think you'll like the one I've picked out. It's right next to mine."_

_The two countries climbed up the staircase, disappearing into one of the westward hallways. French Empire heaved me up off the carpeted steps, holding me in his arms as he helped me scale the stairs. I clung sleepily to his coat as he carried me through the eastward hall, pausing for a moment once he reached my door._

_He softly kicked it open as he gently set me down in the center of the room, holding me up by the shoulders as I attempted to stay awake. "C'mon mon amour, let's get you ready for bed."_

_I numbly stumbled to my darkened oak dresser, pulling out a starched white nightdress. Empire guided me to the adjoined washroom, leaving me to my own devices as I began to undress._

_Once I was clothed and comfortable, I feebly pushed open the door and allowed Empire to lead me to my feather-down bed. The French nation peeled back the layers quilts and silken sheets, tucking me in under them before pressing a warm kiss to my temple. "Bonne nuit, sleep well."_

_I grabbed his hand as he turned to walk away, biting the inside of my cheek as I sleepily gazed up at him. "Stay?"_

_His eyes were filled with love as he nodded, slipping off his coat and boots before sliding in next to me, blowing out the burning candle that stood burning on my nightstand. I cuddled close into his chest as I began to nod off to sleep, feeling safe and secure in his arms._

_Today was a day I will never forget, because today was the day that solidified two things: my love for French Empire, and the utmost fight I had for this land._

_With Love,_

**_Tournesol_ **

**After all that cringe, I need to drink some butter. Thank you so much for reading ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ !!!**

**_With Love,_ **

**_cl_ver__ **

𐐒𐐚


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